Spain went 519 minutes without conceding a goal, so why did everyone praise the 41 year old Cristiano Ronaldo as "deadly" before the match?

41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo sat in front of the microphone at the press conference, showing no mercy to any media outlet.

"You've been trying to destroy me for 23 years, and it's been a complete waste of time."

His words were sharp. The reaction from Spain was even more interesting. When asked about Ronaldo, head coach De la Fuente said, "I'd rather he didn't play," and quickly added, "I often use him as a role model for my players." Goalkeeper Unai Simón was more straightforward, admitting, "We have to keep him out of the box as much as possible."

The more they praised the veteran, the more it showed their defense lacked confidence.

Simón went 519 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the World Cup, breaking the 517-minute record held by Italian legend Zenga for 36 years. The stats were as clean as an actuary's ledger. But the Spanish players and coach's pre-match praise of Ronaldo as "lethal" revealed their unease. They were wary of this style of play. They were used to the open, fast-paced attacks of players like Yamal, but not the kind of veteran who disappears for the whole game and only strikes when the opportunity arises.

Spain's numbers looked impressive on paper. They were unbeaten in 34 matches across all competitions, kept four clean sheets in this tournament, and led the field with an average of 62% possession. Oyarzabal also delivered, with four goals and one assist in four games.

But these financial statements don't hold up under scrutiny.

Their shot conversion rate was a mere 9%. In their opening group match, they were held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde, who were playing in their first World Cup. The team had no answer to a packed defense. Against Austria, Spain fired 23 shots with an expected goals (xG) of 2.84, but the actual goals scored didn't match the data. Leading the tournament in passing accuracy was useless; they could pass the ball around like a rosary, but when they reached the edge of the box, they still had to rely on luck. This kind of stagnant attack, when faced with a parked bus, was useless no matter how fancy the tactics on the board.

The Portuguese know all too well how to defend deep. Martínez's calculations were brutally pragmatic.

Cancelo's form in this tournament has been inconsistent. He was substituted at halftime against Colombia and only lasted 63 minutes against Croatia. In both knockout matches, he didn't play the full 90 minutes. Martínez has been compromising at right-back. The left side is even more difficult. Yamal is a constant threat on the right, forcing Nuno Mendes to battle hard.

Originally, Portugal's right flank could have been a major weapon. Spain's left-wing core, Nico Williams, suffered a bad tackle against Uruguay and has a moderate strain in his right adductor, likely ruling him out. This is the biggest structural hole in the Spanish lineup.

But Martínez didn't dare to commit fully forward. To neutralize Yamal and secure a baseline result, he actively dropped his defensive line, effectively cutting Portugal's attacking power on the right by half. The match against Croatia was a preview. Ronaldo had only 17 touches and one shot in the first half, essentially just walking around. In the second half, he seized his chance and scored his first-ever World Cup knockout goal. Invisible for the whole game, one strike to seal the deal.

Portugal now couldn't care less about possession. They just wait for you to push forward, then stab you in the ribs.

The Spanish surely haven't forgotten the Nations League final in Munich on June 8, 2025.

It ended 2-2 in regular time, and Portugal won 5-3 on penalties. Rúben Neves scored the decisive penalty, grinding the Spanish down. Spain had the better possession stats in that match too, but Portugal dragged the game into the mud, using their gritty, street-smart experience to outlast the tiki-taka masters.

Tomorrow at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, De la Fuente will still keep the ball at his feet, pushing his formation high up the pitch. Simón will be guarding his 519-minute clean sheet record.

The ledger is dead. The 41-year-old veteran will still be charging into the box.