Simon has been named in Spain's World Cup squad and is expected to retain his status as the first-choice goalkeeper despite facing the strongest competition of his international career from David Raya and Joan Garcia.
Analysis:
Simon ended the season with Athletic Club having made 38 appearances and recording six clean sheets, playing a key role in manager De la Fuente's system with his ability to play out from the back and his reliability at international level over the past several years. The keeper has been Spain's undisputed number one through the Euro 2024 triumph and coach De la Fuente has remained loyal to him despite David Raya's exceptional season at Arsenal and Joan Garcia's breakthrough campaign at Barcelona, valuing his experience and familiarity with the national team's style. Simon heads into the World Cup knowing the goalkeeper debate will be one of the most discussed topics surrounding the squad, and he will need to perform at his very best to silence the clamor for one of his rivals to take his place.
