A top-notch defensive wall and a record-breaking goalkeeper put Spain into the history of the World Cup. Spain broke the record for most consecutive clean sheets at a World Cup on Monday as they swept past arch-rivals Portugal 1-0 in a high-stakes game, with goalkeeper Unai Simon extending his historic goalless run to a staggering 609 minutes.Spain was eliminated for the sixth consecutive time, breaking ties with Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006-10), and stood alone at the pinnacle of defensive excellence. This remarkable run dates back to 2022 and started after a 2-1 loss to Japan in the group stage. It survived a 0-0 draw with Morocco in Qatar, was surprisingly scoreless in its opener against Cape Verde and is now on a four-match winless streak in the quarter-finals.At the heart of this defensive masterclass is Athletic Bilbao’s 29-year-old goalkeeper Unai Simon. Spain’s No.1 goalkeeper has surpassed Italy legend Walter Zenga’s 517-minute benchmark set in 1990 in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Austria. Against Portugal, he guarded his fortress with absolute authority.Simon arrived at Arlington having made just four saves throughout the game, largely untested by an isolated backline that limited Austria to zero shots on target, and he was forced to score a historic milestone against Portugal. The Bilbao goalkeeper made two crucial saves in the first half, both times denying the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo.The highlight of the night came when Joao Felix’s header deflected badly off Simon’s shoulder and sailed dangerously towards the net. The Spaniard displayed stunning athleticism, adjusting in mid-air, reaching back with his hands to snatch the ball away in a stunning diving stop.Spain reached the quarter-finals on the back of six consecutive clean sheets. As Luis de la Fuente’s side prepare to face either the United States or Belgium in California, they have proven that while the attackers win the games, their historic defense is built to win the World Cup.
