Overview
- Spain conceded for the first time in the 2026 tournament when Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere scored in the 41st minute of the quarterfinal in Los Angeles on Friday.
- The goal stopped Unai Simón’s consecutive World Cup shutout streak at 649 minutes, a mark that had eclipsed Walter Zenga’s 517-minute record from 1990.
- Simón’s run stretched across the 2022 and 2026 tournaments and included only a penalty-shootout concession before the Belgium match.
- Spain had kept clean sheets against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria and Portugal in this World Cup before facing Belgium, highlighting the defense’s prior consistency.
- The end of the streak removes Spain’s unique defensive edge in the tournament and could change how opponents approach the remaining knockout matches.