Spain at this World Cup are like that friend who shows up to every party looking impeccable and leaves without a single stain on their shirt while everyone else is covered in salsa. Six games played, zero goals conceded. Not one. Nada. Zilch. La Roja have turned defensive solidity into an art form, and as they head into their quarter-final clash with Belgium, their opponents must be wondering what exactly they need to do to get a ball past Unai Simon.
The group stage didn't start smoothly, though. Cabo Verde — playing in their first-ever World Cup — held Spain to a goalless draw thanks to their goalkeeper Vozinha playing like he had eight arms. Spain had 27 shots and couldn't find a way through. At the time, people raised eyebrows, but given how well the Blue Sharks have performed since, that result has aged like fine wine. The next match was a different story: Lamine Yamal made his first World Cup start against Saudi Arabia and needed just 10 minutes to open his account, becoming Spain's second-youngest scorer at a finals. Mikel Oyarzabal helped himself to a quick brace and an own goal completed the 4-0 rout. Against Uruguay, it was a scrappy affair settled by Alex Baena's strike after a howler from Fernando Muslera, but it was enough to seal top spot in the group.
The knockout rounds have been where Spain's defensive masterpiece has truly shone. Austria were swept aside 3-0 in the Round of 32, with Oyarzabal bagging two from Marc Cucurella deliveries and Pedro Porro heading his first international goal. Crucially, that clean sheet meant Unai Simon surpassed Walter Zenga's 517-minute record for consecutive World Cup minutes without conceding, a mark that had stood since 1990. Then came the Iberian derby against Portugal — tense, nervy, and heading for extra time until Mikel Merino came off the bench to slot home a 91st-minute winner set up by fellow substitute Ferran Torres. It was shades of his late heroics against Germany at Euro 2024. Now Belgium await in Los Angeles, and Spain will be desperate to avoid a repeat of their 1986 quarter-final penalty shootout loss. If their defensive wall holds firm, they might just reach only their second World Cup semi-final ever.
