Spain may have the deepest squad at the 2026 World Cup, but nowhere is their advantage more extraordinary than in goal. Unai Simón remains Luis de la Fuente's undisputed No. 1, while David Raya (Arsenal) and Joan García (Barcelona) – arguably the two best goalkeepers in world football right now – are left on the bench. On paper, it makes little sense. In reality, there is a clear reason behind the coach's decision.
Even before the World Cup began, The Athletic reported that Simón would remain Spain's first-choice goalkeeper regardless of club form. De la Fuente has never hidden his thinking. "People shouldn't doubt a top goalkeeper like Unai Simón," the Spain boss said earlier this year. "His quality, his career, his professionalism... he has already earned our trust. Goalkeepers are judged differently. We also have three exceptional keepers. In England they say David Raya is the best goalkeeper in the world, yet you don't ask about him nearly as often."
That trust did not appear overnight. De la Fuente coached Simón in Spain's youth national teams and has worked with him for years. More importantly, Simón was Spain's starting goalkeeper throughout their victorious Euro 2024 campaign. Coaches rarely change a winning formula at international level, especially in a position where chemistry and confidence are often valued above raw statistics. Raya and García may have stronger club numbers, but neither has built the same history with the national team.
The most unfortunate player in this situation is probably Joan García. The Barcelona goalkeeper is enjoying an extraordinary rise and has every argument to claim the No. 1 shirt. Last season he conceded just 21 goals in 30 La Liga matches, finished as Spain's best goalkeeper statistically, led all goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues with a 77.9% save percentage, and prevented 10.7 expected goals, ranking among Europe's elite. Those numbers become even more impressive when considering Barcelona do not face many shots. Goalkeepers from struggling clubs usually dominate post-shot expected goals metrics because they are constantly under pressure. García delivers elite shot-stopping despite spending long periods with little to do, demonstrating exceptional concentration.
His distribution also fits exactly what De la Fuente wants. García completed 89.7% of his passes while averaging 25.6 passes per game, making him one of Europe's best ball-playing goalkeepers. The only real concern is experience. During his first UEFA Champions League campaign, he conceded 1.1 goals more than expected, suggesting that the biggest European nights are still part of his learning process. García himself has accepted his current role, saying: "This is my first World Cup. We have to be like a family and work together. Those of us who aren't playing still contribute a lot off the pitch."
David Raya has an equally convincing case. Arsenal's goalkeeper has now won the Premier League Golden Glove three seasons in a row, proving his consistency over a long period rather than one outstanding campaign. He combines excellent reflexes with superb distribution and is perfectly suited to teams that defend high up the pitch. Last season he recorded a 69.8% save percentage, completed 64.8% of his passes, but also conceded 1.13 goals more than expected. Even so, De la Fuente reportedly believes Simón remains superior when it comes to organising Spain's defensive line and controlling the back four during international matches.
Raya has no complaints about the competition. "Spain has always produced outstanding goalkeepers," he said. "Having great goalkeepers can win you titles. Unai and Joan help me improve in every aspect of my game. We all have different styles, but we push each other every day."
Ironically, Simón is statistically the weakest of the three. Last season he conceded 3.1 goals more than expected and posted just a 64.9% save percentage, comfortably below both García and Raya. Yet international football tells a completely different story. Spain finished the World Cup group stage without conceding a single goal, while Simón averaged 1.3 saves per match and completed an outstanding 93% of his passes. From De la Fuente's perspective, the numbers that matter most are on the scoreboard.
That is why criticism of Spain's goalkeeper selection is unlikely to change anything. Club football rewards current form, but international football often rewards trust, continuity and experience. De la Fuente believes Simón gives Spain exactly that. Until those clean sheets disappear, there is simply no reason for him to hand the gloves to García or Raya.
And that is what makes Spain's situation so unique. Few national teams in football history have been able to leave two world-class goalkeepers on the bench without weakening their starting XI. Whether it feels fair or not, it is a luxury that every international manager would love to have.
Published by Patrick Jane
02.07.2026