Simón: Opponents Will Only Get Tougher

Unai Simón spoke ahead of Spain's upcoming Round of 16 clash against Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.

"We're having a progressive World Cup, and I believe we still have a lot of room for improvement. We need to focus on our own game, without forgetting that Portugal beat us in the Nations League. We know we have to play a great match, without distractions, and be close to the level we all aspire to. We must correct the mistakes from that Nations League game and try to be more fluid in our play. The key could be to continue keeping a clean sheet," Simón began.

The ironclad defense of "La Furia Roja" has been a significant highlight of their performance since the start of the World Cup finals in North America. The Spaniards have yet to concede a goal in their four matches so far, with Unai Simón keeping clean sheets in all three group stage games against Cape Verde (0-0), Saudi Arabia (4-0), and Uruguay (1-0).

"It's better to face Portugal after the match with Austria than if we had progressed differently. Opponents will only get tougher, but we're in good form. Hopefully, we can continue this way until the final, but every match is a new story. And if they take shots and score three goals against me, we'll just have to score four. The record speaks more about the team than about me. The team is very proud of the work it's doing. We're conceding very few chances," he reflected.

Simón also highlighted the work and qualities of the other two Spanish goalkeepers, David Raya and Joan García, praising them highly.

"We are the best goalkeeping trio at the World Cup; anyone would do well against Portugal, and I believe the record would have been achieved by any one of them. They train like beasts, and we learn from that. Our coexistence is very healthy; the human group is excellent. That's key in this sport."

Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the biggest threats from Portugal will be Cristiano Ronaldo. "He's not the same as he was six or seven years ago when he was at his peak, but we need to keep him away from the penalty area. Cristiano is a decisive player once he steps into the box. In the Nations League final, he scored with the only ball he received there. He possesses an enviable goal-scoring instinct and ability that anyone would want on their team," Simón explained.