INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Spanish goaltender Unai Simon has the longest consecutive shutout streak in World Cup history, breaking a 36-year-old record. 3-0 victory over Austria Thursday: 4th consecutive clean sheet of the season world cup.
Simon hasn’t allowed a goal in 519 consecutive minutes in the past two World Cups. He broke the record set by Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga in 1990. He recorded 517 consecutive minutes without scoring and five consecutive clean sheets at his home World Cup.
The 29-year-old Athletic Bilbao mainstay may not be the most famous goalkeeper in the competition, or even in his own team, but Simon has earned a place in the World Cup record books for his outstanding display behind Spain’s excellent defence.
Spain has yet to concede a goal in this World Cup, with the Basque backstop making just four saves, while missing all five shots on target against Austria.
Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente said, “I’m proud of him.” “I feel like he’s part of my family. I’m very happy for him.”
Simón has been Spain’s first choice in net for most of the past five years and has retained his job despite competition from goalkeepers David Raya and João Garcia, who have won two of Europe’s top four leagues. Simon has spent his club career on a smaller stage with Bilbao, who only reached the Champions League for the first time in their career last season.
Simon owes his international success to his stellar results and strong bond with de la Fuente, who has had a more fulfilling club career and has largely resisted demands to give the goalkeeping option more playing time.
Simon and de la Fuente have been linked since 2015, when the coach and the 18-year-old keeper won the European Under-19 Championship in Greece. They spent time together in Spain’s youth system before reuniting in early 2023, with de la Fuente taking charge of the senior national team and soon taking the most successful step in Spain’s proud history.
Under coach de la Fuente, Spain have lost just once in 37 games in all competitions and are unbeaten in their last 35 games. That streak also includes a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League. Spain won the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship thanks to Simon’s net goals, and won the World Cup finals tournament for the first time in 16 years.
Simon and Spain conceded just three goals in four games at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but still returned home early. Simón’s shutout streak began during Spain’s 2–1 loss to Japan and continued through a goalless draw with Morocco, where he ultimately eliminated Spain by converting three of the four penalties against Simón.
No one in North America can beat Simón, and of Spain’s four opponents only Uruguay have had at least one shot on goal.
“(Simon) played a very big role in the victory, but it’s not just a personal issue,” de la Fuente said after the win against Austria. “It’s about the whole group coming together for a defensive effort.”
Early in the second half of the match against Austria, Simón also surpassed Iker Casillas’ Spanish record for consecutive scoreless runs at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
His play was more than enough to hold off two seasoned challengers as Spain advanced to the round of 16.
Raya led the Premier League without a goal with Arsenal, won the Golden Glove Award three years in a row, and is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He also led the Gunners to their first Premier League title since 2004 and a place in this year’s Champions League final, but only returned to the reserves for Spain.
García earned his place in Barça’s starting lineup last season and is one of the world’s top young talents in this position, but he is likely to spend this World Cup as a spectator.
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