Spain's hopes of winning a second World Cup trophy in Qatar lie in the hands -– and feet –- of goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Luis Enrique's possession-based system demands a goalkeeper brave enough to distribute to nearby teammates, even when under immense pressure from opposition forwards.
Japan laid the blueprint for the North African nation to follow, with Spain malfunctioning completely when the Samurai Blue overloaded their system. ITV pundit Gary Neville claimed Simon seemed"a real weak point" for La Roja, later advocating for De Gea. "If Unai didn't play well with his feet, he couldn't be the goalkeeper of the national team," said Luis Enrique after Spain's draw with Germany.Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon reacts at a press conference at the Qatar National Convention CenterLuis Enrique says when Simon errs it does not worry him, as long as he is carrying out the plan set for him.
Against Croatia, Simon let Pedri's back-pass slip past his foot for a spectacular own goal, but redeemed himself with penalty saves against Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
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