Belgium ends Spain's 650‑minute World Cup shutout streak

In the World Cup quarter‑final in Inglewood, California, Belgium broke Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón’s tournament‑record clean‑sheet run. Charles De Ketelaere headed in Timothy Castagne’s cross in the 41st minute, making the score 1‑1 and ending Simón’s streak of 650 minutes without conceding – the longest in World Cup history, surpassing the previous 517‑minute mark set by Italy’s Walter Zenga.

Spain recovered to win 2‑1, with a later goal securing the victory and a place in the semi‑final against France. The match also marked the first time Belgium scored against Spain in the 2026 tournament, snapping a series of six consecutive Spanish shutouts. Before kickoff, both teams observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the Almería fires.

The record‑breaking goal highlighted the significance of the quarter‑final, as Simón’s achievement had begun in Qatar 2022 and stood as a benchmark for World Cup defensive performances.