Spanish Wall: Spain break World Cup record with sixth consecutive clean sheet

Spain’s defense created a World Cup milestone by keeping six clean sheets in a row, with goalkeeper Unai Simon boasting a remarkable streak of 609 minutes without a goal. (AP photo) A top-notch defensive wall and a record-breaking goalkeeper have written Spain into the history books of the World Cup. By blanking arch-rivals Portugal 1-0 in a high-profile clash on Monday, La Roja broke the World Cup record for consecutive clean sheets, while custodian Unai Simón extended his historic run without a score to a staggering 609 minutes.Spain’s sixth consecutive exit from the tournament saw them break ties with Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006–10) and remain alone at the pinnacle of defensive excellence. This remarkable run has its roots in 2022 and started right after the 2-1 group stage defeat to Japan. It survived an agonizing 0-0 draw against Morocco in Qatar, came through a surprise goalless opener against Cape Verde in this edition and has now been anchored by four consecutive clean sheets en route to the quarter-finals.At the heart of this defensive master class is Athletic Bilbao’s 29-year-old striker Unai Simon. The Spanish number one already eclipsed the benchmark of the legendary Italian Walter Zenga from 1990 with 517 minutes during Thursday’s clinical demolition of Austria 3:0. Against Portugal he guarded his fortress with absolute authority.While Simón arrived in Arlington having made just four saves in the entire tournament, a largely untested isolated back line that limited Austria to zero shots on target as he was forced to claim his historic milestone against Portugal. The Bilbao keeper produced two vital saves in the first half, both to deny the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo.The highlight of the night came when Joao Felix’s header took a heavy deflection off Simón’s shoulder and headed dangerously into the net. The Spaniard showed breathtaking athleticism and adjusted himself in the air, reaching back with both hands to rip the ball away in a spectacular diving stop.Spain now progress to the quarter-finals after six clean sheets in a row. As Luis de la Fuente’s men prepare to face the United States or Belgium in California, they proved that while the forwards are winning games, their historic defense is built to win the World Cup.