Unai Simón sets World Cup record with 519-minute shutout streak for Spain

Unai Simon has kept six clean sheets at this World Cup, the most by any goalkeeper in a single tournament, and has conceded just one goal across seven matches.

Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals after a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium. Goalkeeper Unai Simon's record 650-minute shutout streak concluded when Charles De Ketelaere scored. Mikel Merino secured Spain's win with a late goal, his second crucial strike in the tournament. Belgium's hopes were dashed after their goalkeeper sustained an injury during the match. This victory extended Spain's impressive unbeaten run to thirty-seven games.

The Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has not conceded a goal at the World Cup and, worryingly for Belgium, he has not had to face that many shots“We’re the villains, there to stop the goals that football lives off,” Unai Simón says. If so, there has never been a bad guy as bad as him, the keeper who could do with an introduction from Don LaFontaine: In a World Cup dominated by forwards, one man resists … There were five minutes to go until half-time during Spain’s battle with Portugal in the last 16 when something historic happened, or there would have been if anything had actually happened. Instead, nothing did, which is the way Simón likes it.As the clock rolled into the 40th minute, Spain’s goalkeeper silently moved on to 560 World Cup minutes without conceding, taking in seven games and going all the way back to Ao Tanaka’s strike for Japan in Qatar. Against Austria in the last 32, he had already left Walter Zenga behind on 517, now he and Spain overtook Switzerland’s record: 559 minutes spread across 14 years and three tournaments in 1994, 2006 and 2010. The next minute, Nuno Mendes hit the bar, but still Simón would not be beaten, Mikel Merino’s 90th minute winner the only goal of the game. Continue reading...

ARLINGTON, Texas— Spain broke a World Cup record with its sixth consecutive clean sheet and goalkeeper Unai Simón extended his record for the tournament’s longest scoreless streak to 609 minutes in Monday’s 1-0 win over Portugal. Spain broke a tie with Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006-10) for the most consecutive World Cup matches without allowing a goal. Spain’s streak began with a 0-0 draw in the round of 16 in 2022, when Morocco advanced after a penalty shootout. There was also a surprising scoreless draw against Cape Verde to open group play in this tournament, followed by four consecutive shutout […]...Keep on reading: World Cup: Spain sets record with 6th clean sheet in a row

Spain broke a World Cup record with its sixth consecutive clean sheet and goalkeeper Unai Simon extended his record shutout streak to 609 minutes after a 1-0 win over Portugal on Monday. Spain broke its tie with Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006-10) for the most consecutive World Cup matches not allowing a goal. Spain's streak began with a 0-0 draw in the round of 16 in 2022, when Morocco advanced after a penalty shootout. There was also a surprising scoreless draw against Cape Verde to open group play in this tournament followed by four consecutive shutout victories to advance to the quarterfinals. Simon surpassed the previous record of 517 consecutive scoreless minutes during a 3-0 blanking of Austria to open the knockout round Thursday. Famed Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga set the standard in 1990 with five consecutive clean sheets in his home World Cup. Simon's shutout streak started in 2022 in Qatar during a 2-1 loss to Japan to wrap up group play. He came into the Portugal g