Unai Simón makes FIFA World Cup history

Records are made to be broken, and the generation of players led by Luis de la Fuente continues to prove it. During Spain's Round of 16 match against Austria at Los Angeles Stadium, Unai Simón etched his name into football history by becoming the goalkeeper with the longest unbeaten run without conceding a goal ever recorded at a FIFA World Cup.

The Spain international surpassed the 517-minute mark set by Italy's Walter Zenga at Italia '90, a record that had stood unchallenged for more than three decades. In doing so, the Vitoria-born goalkeeper moved ahead of legendary names such as Iker Casillas, Peter Shilton, Sepp Maier, and Gianluigi Buffon.

Unai's remarkable streak began at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He kept a clean sheet during the final 39 minutesof Spain's last group-stage match against Japan, throughout the entire Round of 16 clash with Morocco—including extra time—and then carried that run into Spain's first four matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The result is an unprecedented record that now forms part of the tournament's history.

The individual milestone also reflects Spain's outstanding defensive performances. The national team reached the knockout stage without conceding a single goal in the group phase and extended that defensive solidity into its first elimination match, reinforcing its status as one of the tournament's most reliable sides.

For Unai Simón, the achievement is another landmark in an international career already filled with success. A UEFA Nations League winner in 2023 and UEFA EURO champion in 2024, the goalkeeper now adds a historic FIFA World Cup record to his list of honours, placing himself at the very top of World Cup history.