David Raya has watched from the sidelines as Unai Simon impresses at the World Cup with Spain
Richard Lewis
11:06, 07 Jul 2026Updated 11:10, 07 Jul 2026
David Raya has been forced to watch from the sidelines at the World Cup
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David Raya has been forced to watch from the sidelines at the World Cup
The Spanish No.1 shirt is worn by Arsenal’s David Raya, winner of the Premier League’s Golden Glove after his amazing season. The No.13 is the property of Joan Garcia of Barcelona.
But at this World Cup, their job has been to sit on the bench and watch, and no doubt encourage and roar-on, their history-making goalkeeper who is ahead of them all.
Spain are into the World Cup quarter-finals, courtesy of their dramatic 1-0 defeat of Portugal with Raya’s Arsenal team-mate Mikel Merino scoring in the 91st minute.
But it wasn't just Merino who starred in Spain's win over their European rivals. Spain broke the record for the most successive matches without conceding at a World Cup finals – it is now six going back to Qatar – Unai Simon, wearing shirt No.23, increased his own legendary status.
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The Atletico Bilbao goalkeeper has now gone 609 minutes without letting a goal in, extending the World Cup record for consecutive minutes which he eclipsed in their 3-0 defeat of Austria in the round-of-32.
His clean sheet then broke the 36-year mark of Italy’s Walter Zenga which was 517 minutes.
The stats will show that such has been Spain’s brilliance, and stubbornness in defence, they have had only FIVE shots on target against them in this World Cup.
Incredibly, five is the fewest on record since 1966 by a nation across their first five games of a single World Cup. But it is the confidence that Simon, 29, brings along with the longevity that there seems no room yet for Raya or Garcia.
As Spain’s coach Luis De La Fuente said during the tournament: “I feel proud of him. I feel like he is a member of my family. I’m very happy for him.”
Simon made his senior international debut in 2020 and he was in goal when Spain beat England 2-1 to become European champions in 2024. His club career included a spell at Bilbao as a youth player before he returned and became part of the first team in 2018.
But whereas Raya reached the Champions League final in May, last season was the first that Simon has ever played on that stage as Bilbao returned to Europe’s leading club competition for the first time in 11 years.
And for his country, he has remained the first choice. Simon and De La Fuente have bonded since 2015, when the coach and his 18-year-old goalkeeper won the European Under-19 championship in Greece.
They stayed together in Spain’s youth system and then reunited in early 2023, when De La Fuente took over the senior national team, embarking on one of the most successful stretches in Spain’s proud history.
On Monday night, Portugal had two shots on target, both from Cristiano Ronaldo – the most Spain have faced in a single match at this World Cup. They now meet Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday night for a place in the semi-finals.
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After the 3-0 win over Austria, De La Fuente said: “(Simon) played a very big role in the victory, but it’s not just about individuals. It’s about the whole group coming together for that defensive effort.”
The last time Simon conceded a goal in the World Cup finals was in the 51st minute of their 2-1 group stage defeat by Japan in Al Rayyan in December 2022. Spain still progressed to the knockout stages where they lost in the round-of-16 to Morocco, 3-0 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.