Simón Sets World Cup Record With 519 Scoreless Minutes

Unai Simón etched his name into World Cup history on Thursday by setting a new record for the longest scoreless streak by a goalkeeper, helping Spain secure a 3-0 victory over Austria.

The Spanish goalkeeper extended his shutout run to 519 consecutive minutes, surpassing the previous record of 517 minutes set by legendary Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga during the 1990 World Cup.

The clean sheet against Austria marked Simón’s fourth consecutive shutout in the tournament, underlining his key role in Spain’s impressive defensive run.

Spain has yet to concede a goal in this World Cup, with Simón making only four saves in four matches. Against Austria, none of the opponent’s five attempts were on target.

“I feel proud of him,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “I feel like he is a member of my family. I’m very happy for him.”

The 29-year-old Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper may not be the most high-profile name in world football, but his consistency and composure have made him a crucial part of Spain’s success.

Simón has been Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper for much of the past five years, holding off strong competition from David Raya and Joan García.

His strong relationship with De la Fuente has played a major role in his continued rise. The pair first worked together in 2015 when Spain won the European Under-19 Championship, and reunited in 2023 when De la Fuente took charge of the senior national team.

Under De la Fuente, Spain has suffered just one defeat in 37 competitive matches and remains unbeaten in its last 35 games, excluding a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League.

Spain has already lifted the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship with Simón in goal, and now the team has reached another major milestone in the World Cup.

Simón’s remarkable run began during Spain’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar and continued into the current tournament.

Against Austria, he also surpassed the previous Spanish World Cup scoreless streak held by legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

As Spain advances to the Round of 16, Simón’s record-breaking form has further strengthened the team’s hopes of a deep run in the tournament.