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Unai Simón extended the World Cup consecutive clean sheet record to 609 minutes.
Unai Simón extended his World Cup consecutive clean sheet record to 609 minutes.
The 518-minute record set by Zenga in 1990 was crushed by him. For the first time in Spanish national team history, they kept six consecutive World Cup matches without conceding a single goal.
But the scoreboard only showed 1-0.
July 6, 2026, AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Spain sent Portugal packing with a stoppage-time winner and a full-team defensive grind. Possession rate 55.4%, shots 15-10, Portugal had zero shots on target in the second half.
Sixteen years ago, Spain conquered the world with their passing game. Now, De la Fuente selects players not based on their footwork, but on whether they will fight for the man next to them.
Look at Merino.
On February 1, Arsenal announced he had undergone surgery for a right foot fracture, ending his season. He resumed training in May. On July 6, he stepped onto the World Cup knockout stage. His son Marco was two months old; the child's first two months were spent with his father battling a cast in the rehab room.
In the 89th minute, Bernardo Silva tackled Merino in midfield. He got a yellow card, then turned to argue with the referee.
Merino didn't wait.
He took a quick free kick, dribbled into the box, rounded goalkeeper Diogo Costa, and scored into an empty net. 90+1 minute. Spain 1-0.
De la Fuente's instruction to him was just one sentence: push forward, play the number 10 role. A substitute who had just crawled back from a fracture punished the opponent's lapse in concentration in ten seconds. After the match, he draped a red San Fermín scarf over his shoulders and shouted "Viva San Fermín." He said he was immensely proud to score consecutive winning goals as a substitute—two years ago, he headed the ball past the Germans in the 119th minute of the European Championship, and now it was Portugal's turn.
In the 90+6 minute, Bernardo Silva's header went wide. The moment the ball hit the turf and rolled out of play, Rodri was already standing over him.
He tapped his own head.
Manchester City teammates. Same locker room. Same midfield line. But in that second, Rodri saw no teammate. The two were pulled apart. Rodri said after the match: "I apologized to Bernardo, I admitted my mistake immediately. The trust between us is deep enough, so it's over."
Porro was also standing on the sideline.
A former Sporting CP player, he apologized to his old club's fans after the match—wearing a Spain shirt, he had personally sent the country that nurtured his club packing. Rodri's apology was for his teammate in the Manchester locker room; Porro's apology was for a city in Lisbon. On international matchdays, club loyalties still come calling.
Bernardo Silva himself deserved a tap on the head that night. His 89th-minute tackle on Merino earned him a yellow card and the free kick that directly led to the goal. His 90+6-minute header went wide, missing the equalizer. At Manchester City, he is the most reliable shield beside De Bruyne; in Dallas, he single-handedly tore open both ends of Portugal's attack and defense.
Cristiano Ronaldo walked off the pitch. This was likely his last World Cup.
Cucurella said in the mixed zone: "Cristiano Ronaldo is a football legend, he has inspired countless young people. I watched him play on TV when I was a kid, and now I have the privilege of facing him in a World Cup."
Chris Sutton on BBC drove the knife deeper: "He moved around the pitch like an old man, couldn't do anything, and that's why Portugal are out."
Ronaldo's own words were calm: "I'm sad to leave the World Cup this way. I gave my all, and I have a clear conscience."
De la Fuente's assessment of Merino after the match: He never lets us down.
Ronaldo had 19 touches in the entire 90 minutes. 12 in the first half, the lowest of his World Cup career. Three touches in the box.
FIFA official match report, World Cup Round of 16 Portugal vs Spain match data, July 6, 2026 AP / Fox Sports, Unai Simón's World Cup consecutive clean sheet record of 609 minutes and Spain's team record of six consecutive clean sheets ESPN / Sportstar, Ronaldo's touch data for this match (19 total, 12 first half, 3 in the box) Goal.com / Manchester Evening News, Rodri's post-match interview about apologizing to Bernardo Silva WhoScored / The Analyst, match possession rate 55.4%, shots 15-10, shots on target 6-2 Arsenal.com / Sky Sports, Merino's right foot fracture surgery in February 2026 and return to training timeline in May Guardian / Irish Examiner, details on Merino's son Marco and the San Fermín scarf Al Jazeera, Ronaldo's post-match interview ("I gave my all, clear conscience") Mirror / BBC Radio 5 Live, Chris Sutton's criticism of Ronaldo ("moved like an old man") Reuters / Daily Cannon, De la Fuente's post-match assessment of Merino ("He never lets us down") User's original material summary, Porro's apology to Sporting CP fans / Merino's post-match statement ("I am immensely proud to score consecutive winning goals as a substitute")