‘There is a magnificent balanc... Note

‘There is a magnificent balance’: how Spain built a record-breaking defence

Unai Simón, the Spain goalkeeper, has been impressive at the World Cup, not conceding a single goal. He views himself as the villain who stops goals from being scored, which is the lifeblood of football. Simón has been exceptional, with his team relying on him to keep a clean sheet. In the match against Portugal, he achieved a historic milestone, reaching 560 World Cup minutes without conceding a goal. This feat took into account seven games and dated back to a strike by Japan's Ao Tanaka in Qatar. Simón surpassed Walter Zenga's record of 517 minutes and also broke Switzerland's record of 559 minutes, which was set across three tournaments. The Switzerland record was set over 14 years, from 1994 to 2010, and spanned three World Cups. Despite Portugal's Nuno Mendes hitting the bar, Simón remained unbeaten, and Spain went on to win the game with a 90th-minute goal from Mikel Merino. Simón's performance will be a concern for Belgium, who will face Spain and try to break his unbeaten streak. Overall, Unai Simón's impressive record has made him a key player for Spain in the World Cup, and his team will be relying on him to continue his good form.