Spain already has its sights set on the duel against Portugal for the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup and, in the run-up to the match, goalkeeper Unai Simón analyzed the challenge of facing Cristiano Ronaldo. Although he considers that the Portuguese striker is no longer going through the best physical moment of his career, the goalkeeper warned that he continues to be a decisive footballer inside the area and a permanent threat for any defense.

The match will be played on Monday at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, where Portugal will seek to continue its path after eliminating Croatia with difficulty in the previous round. The team led by Roberto Martínez has already arrived in the Texas city and was received by hundreds of fans who were mainly hoping to see their captain up close.

Unai Simón praises Cristiano and highlights Spain's defensive work

During his appearance before the media, Simón recalled the last confrontation between both teams and explained what he considers the priority should be to contain the Portuguese top scorer.

"The Cristiano we have in the World Cup is not the same as he was six or seven years ago, when he was in his prime. We have to try to keep him as far away from the area as possible," said the Spanish goalkeeper.

Despite this assessment, the goalkeeper made it clear that Ronaldo retains an unusual scoring ability, capable of deciding games with a single opportunity. "In the final of the Nations League he had a ball inside the area and put it in. He has that scoring ability that we would all like to have on our team," he noted.

In addition to talking about the next rival, Simón highlighted the moment he is experiencing under the three suits of Spain. The goalkeeper came into this World Cup without conceding a goal and has already established the unbeaten record in the history of the World Cups, surpassing the 517 minutes that the Italian Walter Zenga had achieved in Italy 1990.

Far from taking credit alone, the goalkeeper highlighted the collective performance of the Spanish team. "The record speaks better about the team than about me, because of how the dynamic has come. There comes a time when my name appears on the cover, but the team has to be proud. We concede few chances and we all work for it. The record has allowed me to recognize even more the work we are doing," he commented.

Simón also dedicated a few words to the Mexican Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, one of the most recognized goalkeepers of the last World Cups. "In all tournaments there are goalkeepers who make themselves known or who stand out. I have seen Ochoa in all the World Cups that I have seen and participating in a tournament is a source of pride for me. The position of goalkeeper is very decisive and somewhat ungrateful when they are poorly given, and not very grateful when a goal is achieved," he expressed.

While Spain completes its preparation, Portugal will carry out its only training this Sunday in Dallas, on the fields of Southern Methodist University, before the expected confrontation that will define one of the semifinalists of the 2026 World Cup.

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