Unai Simon has acknowledged that Spain’s rock-solid defence made his role remarkably comfortable during their victorious 2026 World Cup campaign, admitting that his gloves “didn’t have to work that hard” as La Roja conceded only one goal en route to lifting the trophy for the first time in sixteen years.
Simon sets records with defensive brilliance
Spain captured their second World Cup crown through an extraordinary defensive performance that rewrote the history books. La Roja stormed to global glory by allowing just one goal throughout the entire tournament, surpassing the previous record of two goals conceded, a mark earlier shared by Spain’s 2010 champions, Italy’s 2006 side, and France’s 1998 squad.
The only team to breach Spain’s defence was Belgium, who managed a goal in a 2-1 quarter-final defeat. Following that, Spain kept consecutive clean sheets against France and Argentina—teams led by World Cup legends Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi—to secure the title.
Golden Glove winner praises defensive unit
Although Simon received the Golden Glove award for being the tournament’s best goalkeeper, the Athletic Bilbao star used his post-match remarks to give full credit to his defenders. The 29-year-old emphasised the outstanding protection he enjoyed, particularly during the intense knockout stages in North America.
“If all of the gloves I used during the tournament could speak, they would probably tell you that they didn’t have to work as hard as those of other goalkeepers,” Simon told ESPN. “That’s all thanks to my teammates—we managed to win because of them.”
Messi’s Argentina struggle to threaten in the final
The contrast between the two finalists highlighted Spain’s total control of the match. Simon clinched the competition’s top goalkeeping honour with only 14 saves across the entire tournament, while Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez faced an exhausting workload, pulling off 11 saves in the final alone to keep his team in contention.
Spain’s attack relentlessly pressured the Argentine defence, outshooting them 20-2. Lionel Scaloni’s side barely managed to create meaningful chances, failing to record their first shot until late in extra time.
A golden era under De la Fuente
Spain’s victory in New Jersey completed an extraordinary treble for manager Luis de la Fuente, who has now guided the national team to the 2023 UEFA Nations League, Euro 2024, and the 2026 World Cup within just four years. The triumph also made him the oldest coach in history to lift the World Cup. This win extended Spain’s unbeaten streak to 38 matches, dating back to March 2024.
De la Fuente’s Euro 2024 success had already been historic, with Spain winning all seven matches in Germany before defeating England in the final. That dominance seamlessly carried into the World Cup, solidifying De la Fuente’s place among the greatest coaches in Spanish football history.
