Spain are three victories away from lifting the World Cup for a second time, and it is their defence — not their glittering attack — that has become the story of their campaign so far.

Luis de la Fuente's side beat Portugal 1-0 in the last 16 on Monday, mirroring the exact scoreline of their famous triumph over the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa. That win put them into the quarter-finals without having conceded a single goal.

A record that stands alone

Spain are the first side in World Cup history to keep six consecutive clean sheets in the competition, surpassing the previous mark shared by Italy (1990) and Switzerland (2006–10). They have now gone 10 hours and nine minutes without conceding in World Cup football, a run that stretches back to a goalless draw in the 2022 last 16 against Morocco, who went through on penalties.

After co-hosts Mexico conceded three goals to England in the last 16, Spain remain the only team at this tournament yet to be breached.

Simon rewrites the record books

At the heart of this defensive achievement is goalkeeper Unai Simon, whose consecutive scoreless streak at the World Cup now stands at a remarkable 609 minutes — surpassing Walter Zenga's longstanding mark of 517 minutes for Italy and compatriot Iker Casillas' benchmark of 476.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague explained how Spain managed to contain Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in Dallas: