Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon played a crucial role in the team's 3-0 win over Austria in the Round of 32, setting a World Cup record in the process. Despite facing questions over his number one spot, Simon has been backed by manager Luis de la Fuente on multiple occasions.
Simon, 29, has been the number one goalkeeper since the time of Luis Enrique, but has faced pressure from David Raya and Joan Garcia following their stellar performances. De la Fuente has shown no appetite to change goalkeeper, with Simon an established leader with the national team.
On Thursday, Unai Simon went unbeaten for a fifth consecutive game, encompassing his four clean sheets at this tournament and La Roja's final game in the 2022 tournament. This achievement took the number of consecutive minutes in which he has not been beaten to 520, surpassing the previous World Cup record of 518.
Simon's incredible performance is a testament to the strength of Spain's defence, which has been the surprise strength of the team so far. Spain's solid defence has kept opponents at bay, with Simon facing a remarkable six shots on target during his first four games.
La Roja's impressive defensive statistics are also reflected in their expected goals against figure of just 0.4 over the course of those games. This is a testament to the fact that Spain have the best pressing statistics in the tournament, although stiffer tests are on the way in the shape of Portugal.
