Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón says Cristiano Ronaldo remains a threat.

Spain, nicknamed the "La Roja," will face Roberto Martinez's Portugal in a crucial Round of 16 match at the 2026 World Cup. Unai Simón stated that the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo remains a formidable threat on the field, therefore the team must strive to keep him away from the penalty area.

In the round of 32, Spain defeated Sweden 3-0 thanks to goals from Oyarzabal and Pedro Polo, thus advancing to the round of 16.

It is worth mentioning that in the group stage and the round of 32 of this World Cup, Spain, coached by De la Fuente, successfully kept a clean sheet in all matches.

Regarding this remarkable record, Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón said, "It reflects the ability of the whole team more than my personal achievement. The whole team is proud of our current performance. We give our opponents very few chances and maintain a high level of possession."

"Hopefully we can maintain this form until the final. However, every game is a new story. If the opponent has three shots and scores three goals, then I hope we can score four goals."

Unai Simón pointed out, "We played almost perfectly in the European Championship, and it's important to set that as a goal. In this World Cup, our form has been improving step by step, but I think the team still has a lot of room for improvement."

Speaking about Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, Unai Simón said, "He's not the same as he was a few years ago or during his peak at Real Madrid, but we must keep him away from the penalty area as much as possible. He proved that in the Nations League final. He only had one chance, but he managed to score."

“His greatest strength right now is that he remains extremely dangerous in the penalty area; he can always create his own chances. We must be prepared for all kinds of situations and keep him as far away from the goal as possible.”

Image source: Internet