Spain's challenge for a second World Cup trophy is being built upon a foundation of historic defensive solidity, with goalkeeper Unai Simon leading the charge.
Simon has set a new World Cup record, extending his consecutive minutes without conceding a goal to 609. This remarkable run saw him keep Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at bay in their recent match. The previous records held by Italy's Walter Zenga (517 minutes) and Spain's own Iker Casillas (476 minutes) have now been surpassed.
"Spain defended in numbers and collectively, they tracked back a lot. They individually sorted out problems. So we haven't needed a miracle save from Simon," noted journalist Guillem Balague, highlighting the team's cohesive defensive effort. Balague also commented that Portugal "dictated most of the game, but Rafael Leao did not offer that extra spark, neither did the other substitutes."
Defensive Pillars
The backline in front of Simon has been crucial to this success. Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi form the central defensive partnership, while Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella have provided width from the full-back positions. This quartet has started three of Spain's five matches in the tournament. Marcos Llorente has also featured at right-back in the remaining two games.
Balague added that the presence of Rodri has been instrumental, describing him as the "lighthouse of the team." Rodri has delivered two extraordinary performances, contributing significantly to Spain's control. The partnership between Laporte and Cubarsi is particularly effective for Spain's style of play, facilitating ball movement, driving runs, and maintaining defensive shape with space behind the defense.
Spain's progress in the tournament suggests that their defensive strength, rather than their offensive prowess, may be the key to lifting the World Cup trophy once more.