Spain etched their name in FIFA World Cup history by becoming the first team ever to keep six consecutive clean sheets in the tournament. The milestone was achieved after a late strike from Mikel Merino secured a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Round of 16, sending Spain to the quarterfinals.
Unai Simon's record-breaking run
Goalkeeper Unai Simon was the standout performer, keeping his fifth clean sheet of the 2026 tournament. The streak actually dates back to the 2022 edition, giving Spain six successive World Cup shutouts. Simon has now gone 609 minutes without conceding a goal in World Cup matches, extending his own record set earlier in the tournament during a 3-0 win over Austria. According to Opta Jose, Simon surpassed the previous record of 517 minutes held by Italy's Walter Zenga.
Match summary: Spain vs Portugal
The match was a tightly contested affair with chances for both sides. Portugal's Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo missed several opportunities, while Spain struggled to break through until Merino's late winner. Following a missed free kick that marked Portugal's final chance, Ronaldo was seen breaking down in tears, realizing that the World Cup trophy would elude him once again.
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup farewell
Before the match, Ronaldo had announced that the 2026 edition would be his last World Cup. His tournament ended with three goals in five matches, but he also set an unfortunate record: 17 shots without creating a single chance for his teammates, the most by any player in a World Cup. Over his career, Ronaldo played 27 World Cup matches (second most by a player) and scored 11 goals. Despite his club achievements, the World Cup trophy remained out of reach, especially after Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in 2022.
Portugal's World Cup journey with Ronaldo
Since Ronaldo's debut in 2006, Portugal achieved fourth place, followed by a Round of 16 exit in 2010, a group stage exit in 2014, another pre-quarterfinal exit in 2018, and a quarterfinal appearance in 2022. The 2026 campaign ended in the Round of 16, marking another early exit for the Portuguese star.
