Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon etched his name into World Cup history by setting a new record for the longest clean-sheet streak after helping his side beat Austria 3-0 on Thursday.
The 29-year-old has now gone 519 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal at the World Cup, surpassing the previous record of 517 minutes set by Italy's Walter Zenga during the 1990 tournament.
It was Simon's fourth straight clean sheet at the current World Cup, with his remarkable run stretching back to the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Spain have yet to concede a goal in the tournament, with Simon facing little pressure behind one of the competition's strongest defensive units. He has made only four saves in four matches and was not required to make a single stop against Austria, who failed to register a shot on target.
"I feel proud of him," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. "I feel like he is a member of my family. I'm very happy for him."
Although David Raya and Joan García have pushed for the number one spot, Simon has remained Spain's first-choice goalkeeper over the past five years.
Raya has established himself as one of the Premier League's leading goalkeepers with Arsenal, while García has emerged as one of Barcelona's brightest young talents. Yet Simon has retained the confidence of De la Fuente, who has worked with him since guiding Spain to the UEFA European Under-19 Championship title in 2015.
Their partnership has flourished at senior level since De la Fuente took charge in 2023.
Under the coach, Spain have won the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship, while losing only once in 37 competitive matches. Their current unbeaten run of 35 matches includes a penalty shootout defeat to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League.
Simon's record-breaking streak began at the 2022 World Cup, where Spain conceded only three goals in four matches before suffering a penalty shootout loss to Morocco.
The Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper also eclipsed Spain legend Iker Casillas' previous national World Cup clean-sheet record, further underlining his importance to the team's defensive success.
"(Simon) played a very big role in the victory, but it's not just about individuals," De la Fuente said. "It's about the whole group coming together for that defensive effort."
Spain's goalkeeping depth remains among the strongest in international football, with Raya and García providing quality competition, but Simon continues to justify his place with consistent performances.
His record-breaking run has been a key factor in Spain's impressive campaign as they head into the Round of 16 as one of the tournament's strongest defensive sides.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
