Spain advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Portugal on Monday, Mikel Merino netting a late winner in Dallas — a mirror of their 2010 last-16 victory in Cape Town. The real story, however, is at the back: Luis de la Fuente's side have kept six straight clean sheets, a tournament record, and gone 10 hours and nine minutes without conceding since the 2022 last-16 loss to Morocco.

Unai Simon has rewritten the record books with 609 minutes without letting in a World Cup goal, surpassing Walter Zenga's 517 and Iker Casillas' 476. The goalkeeper has barely been tested, though, as Spain defend collectively. Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi form a composed centre-back pairing, while Rodri shields them at his imperious best. Full-backs Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella (with Marcos Llorente rotating) provide width without compromising shape.

Attack remains potent: Mikel Oyarzabal has 17 goals in 17 starts, Lamine Yamal is fit at 18, and Pedri orchestrates. Yet expert Guillem Balague notes Portugal "dictated most of the game" — Spain won through resilience, not dominance. De la Fuente calls it "solidarity, effort, sacrifice."

As reigning European champions, Spain face Belgium Friday with a potential semi-final against France looming. Chris Sutton warns their defensive stinginess is "ominous for other teams," but adds they'll need to be "near perfect" to beat Les Bleus. Three wins separate La Roja from a second star on July 19 in New Jersey.