No entry, says Simon – The Hindu

Ask Unai Simon about his World Cup and he’ll inform you it’s been straightforward and that the pictures merely haven’t come, that his defence has performed the work. Ask Kylian Mbappe, sprinting clear with the ball at his toes and the Spanish ’keeper by some means already there to disclaim him, and also you’ll get a really totally different reply.

Simon’s match has been outlined by one quantity: 519. That’s what number of consecutive minutes he went with out conceding a aim throughout this World Cup and the final earlier than letting in a header from Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere within the quarterfinal on July 11. This incredible feat put to shade Italy’s Walter Zenga’s file of 517 set in 1990.

The run was not only a statistical quirk; it was a aggressive benefit. Spain might assault with extra freedom figuring out the final line was safe, whereas opponents had been compelled to press more durable, take extra dangers, and nonetheless discover virtually nothing to indicate for it. He downplayed it himself afterwards, insisting the low shot counts meant Spain’s again line deserved the credit score.

Downplaying is simple in hindsight. It’s more durable to elucidate the split-second determination that stood between France and an equaliser. Spain wanted him for one sequence: sprinting off his line to beat the charging French captain to a unfastened ball, solely to seek out himself stranded because it fell to Want Doue with the aim large open behind him earlier than by some means scrambling again into place to smother the shot.

Ninety percent-plus save charge, one aim conceded in seven matches and a file that took 36 years to fall. Simon stood between Spain and hazard and infrequently let hazard win.