The milestones continue to fall. Goalkeeper Unai Simon has gone 519 consecutive World Cup minutes without conceding, surpassing Walter Zenga’s long-standing tournament record of 517 minutes and Iker Casillas’ Spain mark of 476, which came to an end when Robin van Persie scored his iconic diving header at the 2014 World Cup.
Simon’s rise has been underpinned by the unwavering faith of De la Fuente, who has continued to back the 28-year-old despite competition from Premier League Golden Glove winner David Raya and Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The pair first worked together when Spain won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 before reuniting with the senior side in 2023.
“I feel proud of him,” De la Fuente said after Spain’s victory over Austria. “I feel like he is a member of my family. I’m very happy for him.”
De la Fuente, though, was quick to stress these achievements are a reflection of Spain’s collective work rather than one outstanding goalkeeper.
“He played a very big role in the victory, but it’s not just about individuals,” the Spain manager said. “It’s about the whole group coming together for that defensive effort.”
Another piece of history is now within touching distance. Switzerland’s run of 559 consecutive World Cup minutes without conceding between 1994 and 2010 remains the longest by any nation. If La Roja keep Portugal scoreless until the 41st minute of their last-16 meeting, they will surpass that streak and set a new World Cup record.
Recent evidence suggests they have every chance. No team has managed a shot on target against Spain in the opening 75 minutes of a match at this World Cup. Across their four games, opponents have produced just one combined attempt on Simon’s goal in the opening half hour and only 10 shots in total before the interval (2.5 per first half). If those patterns continue against their Iberian neighbours, another benchmark in World Cup history could soon belong to De la Fuente’s side.
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