Spain's Simon 89 minutes from World Cup goalkeeping record

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon is close to setting a new record for the longest time without conceding a goal at the World Cup finals.

Unai Simon (L), goalkeeper of Spain, reacts with Yassine Bounou, goalkeeper of Morocco, prior to the penalty shoot-out of the Round of 16 match between Morocco and Spain of the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Dec. 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

The current record of 517 minutes is held by Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga, set at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, but if Simon does not concede in the first 89 minutes of Spain's round-of-32 match against Austria on Thursday, he will overtake Zenga.

The Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper has kept three clean sheets in his three appearances at this World Cup.

Looking back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, although Spain went out in the round of 16 on penalties to Morocco, that game ended 0-0, and the last time Simon was beaten was when Ao Tanaka scored in the 51st minute of Spain's 2-1 defeat to Japan in its final group-stage match.

That means it is 429 minutes since Simon last conceded a goal at the World Cup, putting Zenga's record within touching distance.

He is also closing in on Iker Casillas' Spanish record of 476 minutes without conceding at the World Cup.

Simon, 29, has played 61 times for Spain, conceding 48 goals and keeping 27 clean sheets.