Unai Simón

Unai Simón Mendibil (born 11 June 1997) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Simón and the second or maternal family name is Mendibil.

Unai Simón

Simón with Spain U18 in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Unai Simón Mendibil[1]
Date of birth	(1997-06-11) 11 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2][3]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Athletic Bilbao
Number	1
Youth career
2010–2011	Aurrerá Vitoria
2011–2014	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2016	Basconia	36	(0)
2016–2018	Athletic Bilbao B	58	(0)
2018–	Athletic Bilbao	179	(0)
International career‡
2013	Spain U16	1	(0)
2015	Spain U18	3	(0)
2015–2016	Spain U19	4	(0)
2017–2019	Spain U21	10	(0)
2021	Spain U23	7	(0)
2020–	Spain	46	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Spain UEFA European Championship Winner 2024 Germany UEFA Nations League Winner 2023 Netherlands Runner-up 2021 Italy Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo Team UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2019 Italy UEFA European Under-19 Championship Winner 2015 Greece
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:23, 25 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:59, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

Simón made his senior international debut for Spain in 2020, playing at UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, winning the latter tournament.

Early life

Simón's father a member of the Guardia Civil from the Province of Zamora, was assigned to a security posting in the Basque Country where he met Unai's mother, a member of the Ertzaintza (the local police force);^[4] their son was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, and raised in the nearby village of Murgia.^[5] He joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2011 from CD Aurrerá de Vitoria,^[6] lodging with a family in the Bilbao area.^[4]

Club career

Simón made his debut as a senior with CD Basconia, Athletic's farm team, in the 2014–15 season, in the Tercera División.^[7] On 8 June 2016, he was promoted to the reserves, recently relegated to Segunda División B.^[8] He immediately became a starter for the side, contributing with 29 appearances during the campaign.^[7]

On 2 June 2017, he was called up to the main squad for the pre-season by new first team manager José Ángel Ziganda,^[9] but continued to appear exclusively for the B-team. On 13 July 2018, he signed a contract extension until 2023,^[10] and was loaned to Segunda División side Elche CF two weeks later.^[11]

On 15 August 2018, after Kepa Arrizabalaga's departure from the club and Iago Herrerín's injury, Simón was recalled by Athletic before he had played a match for Elche.^[12] He initially appeared to be behind the older Álex Remiro in the queue for selection,^[13] but made his professional – and La Liga – debut five days later, starting in a 2–1 home win against CD Leganés.^[14][15] In just his third appearance in the top division, Simón played in a 1–1 draw with Real Madrid where he made several key saves and was named player of the match.^[16] However, when Herrerín regained full fitness in October 2018 he was made the starting goalkeeper, with Simón's only appearances over the subsequent four months coming in the Copa del Rey.^[7]

For the 2019–20 season, Simón was given the #1 squad number and began the campaign as first choice, keeping a clean sheet in an opening day win over FC Barcelona.^[17] He continued his strong form throughout the season, missing two fixtures with illness and completing 33 matches in the league, conceding 29 goals^[18] to finish third in the Zamora Trophy rankings.^[19] On the 37th, penultimate, matchday, he was sent off during the first half against Leganés for a 'last man' challenge outside the penalty area, with the resultant suspension ending his season a game early; with ten men, Athletic Bilbao lost 2–0 to end their slim hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.^[20]

In August 2020, he signed a new contract with the club running to the summer of 2025, with no buyout clause.^[21] In January 2021, he saved a penalty from Getafe's Jaime Mata.^[22] The following month he had a decisive role in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, stopping two of the three penalties in the shootout at the Benito Villamarín against Real Betis.^[23][24]

During the 2021–22 season, he kept his place in the starting lineup and had several impressive performances, the most notable being against Levante and Getafe (both matches ending goalless).^[25][26] In the following season, with the arrival of Ernesto Valverde, he maintained his role as an undisputed starter in the league and performed at a good level.^[27][28][29] On 10 November 2023, in one of his best moments as a professional,^[30] he saved a penalty from Celta de Vigo striker Iago Aspas to keep the score level in a game his team went on to win.^[31] On 16 March 2024, he stopped a penalty from Luis Rioja of Alavés, starting a move which culminated in a goal for Athletic forty seconds later as they again went on to win;^[32] in addition, Simón consolidated his position as leader in the Zamora Trophy with his fifteenth clean sheet in the league.^[33][34]

International career

Simón was selected for Spain at under-19 and under-21 levels. He was a member of the squad that won the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, albeit as the backup goalkeeper to Antonio Sivera during the tournament.^[35] In the same year he was in the Basque Country under-18 team that won the Spanish regional championship [es].^[5]

On 1 September 2017, Simón debuted with the under-21 team against Italy.^[36] He was selected for the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, playing the first game of the group stage as Spain once more finished as champions (Sivera was again first-choice).^[37][38]

Simón received his first call up to the senior side on 20 August 2020, for the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine.^[39] Despite having made an error which led to a goal at club level a few days earlier, he was selected for his full debut on 11 November 2020, playing the entirety of a friendly against the Netherlands.^[40]

On 24 May 2021, Simón was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.^[41] He started all of the team's matches, and caused an own goal in the 5–3 last-16 win over Croatia when he was unable to control a long backwards pass by Pedri.^[42] Luis Enrique praised his mentality for having recovered from that mistake.^[43] He then managed to save two penalties as Spain won the shootout against Switzerland in the quarter-finals after a 1–1 draw,^[5] for which he was also awarded the Star of the Match.^[44] The semi-final against Italy ended with the same score, and Simón saved the first attempt in the shootout by Manuel Locatelli, but the Italians prevailed.^[45] Simón was also called up for the Spanish Olympic team for the delayed 2020 tournament in Japan.^[46] With Simón as the starting goalkeeper they reached the final, but lost to Brazil.^[47]

He was the starter at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in which Spain progressed from their group with a win, a draw and a defeat, then lost 3–0 on penalties to Morocco in the round of 16 after a goalless draw – Simón saved from Badr Benoun, but three team-mates all failed with their efforts.^[48] They had better fortune in the 2023 UEFA Nations League final six months later, where another 0–0, against Croatia, was followed by a 5–4 win in the shootout to claim the title, Simón blocking attempts from Lovro Majer and Bruno Petković.^[4][49]

On 7 June 2024, Simón was named in Spain's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He started the team's opening match, keeping a clean sheet in the 3–0 win over Croatia in Berlin.^[50]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 May 2024^[51]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Copa del Rey		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Basconia	2014–15[52]	Tercera División	14	0	—		—		—		14	0
	2015–16[52]		22	0	—		—		—		22	0
	Total		36	0	—		—		—		36	0
Bilbao Athletic	2014–15	Segunda División B	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2015–16	Segunda División	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2016–17	Segunda División B	29	0	—		—		—		29	0
	2017–18		29	0	—		—		2[a]	0	31	0
	Total		58	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	60	0
Athletic Bilbao	2016–17	La Liga	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	2017–18		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2018–19		7	0	4	0	—		—		11	0
	2019–20		34	0	4[b]	0	—		—		38	0
	2020–21		37	0	4	0	—		2[c]	0	43	0
	2021–22		34	0	0	0	—		2[c]	0	36	0
	2022–23		31	0	0	0	—		—		31	0
	2023–24		36	0	0	0	—		—		36	0
	Total		179	0	12	0	0	0	4	0	195	0
Career total			273	0	12	0	0	0	6	0	291	0

1. Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
2. Includes appearance in 2020 Copa del Rey final (played in 2021)
3. Appearances in Supercopa de España

International

As of match played 14 July 2024^[53]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Spain	2020	3	0
	2021	17	0
	2022	11	0
	2023	7	0
	2024	8	0
Total		46	0

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

• Copa del Rey: 2023–24^[54]
• Supercopa de España: 2021^[55]

Spain U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2015^[35]

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2019^[38]

Spain U23

• Summer Olympic silver medal: 2020^[47]

Spain

• UEFA European Championship: 2024^[56]
• UEFA Nations League: 2022–23;^[57] runner-up: 2020–21^[58]

Individual

• UEFA La Liga Revelation Team of the Year: 2019–20^[59]
• La Liga Team of the Season: 2023–24^[60]
• La Liga Zamora Trophy: 2023–24

References

1. "Squad List: Men's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020: Spain (ESP)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 July 2021. p. 16. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
2. "Unai Simón". soccerway. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
3. "Unai Simón". fbref. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
4. Galiacho, Juan Luis (18 June 2023). "Unai Simón: El portero vasco hijo de un Guardia Civil y una ertzaina lleva a la Selección española al triunfo" [Unai Simón: The Basque goalkeeper, son of a Civil Guard leads the Spanish National Team to victory]. elcierredigital.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2024.
5. "El pueblo de Mikel Landa ya es el pueblo de Unai Simón" [Mikel Landa's village is now Unai Simón's village] (in Spanish). El País. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
6. "Entrevista a Unai Simon" [Interview to Unai Simon]. La Cantera de Lezama (in Spanish). 11 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
7. "Unai Simón". Athletic Bilbao. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
8. "Leaving Basconia". Athletic Bilbao. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
9. "Preseason with the premier team". Athletic Bilbao. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
10. "Renewal of Unai Simón". Athletic Bilbao. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
11. "Unai Simón on-loan to Elche CF". Athletic Bilbao. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
12. "Recovery of Unai Simón". Athletic Bilbao. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
13. Ortiz de Lazcano, Javier (8 August 2018). "La salida de Kepa facilita la continuidad de Remiro" [Kepa's departure makes it easier for Remiro to continue]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2019.
14. Zubieta, Jon (21 August 2018). "Simón debuta con un paradón providencial" [Simón debuts with a providential save] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
15. García, Óscar (21 August 2018). "Muniain gives Berizzo his first win as Athletic Club coach". Marca. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
16. Ruthven, Graham (15 September 2018). "Isco goal salvages point for Real Madrid away to Athletic Bilbao". Eurosport. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
17. "Athletic Bilbao 1–0 Barcelona". BBC Sport. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
18. "Matches Unai Simón (filters: 2019-20 season, La Liga, Athletic Club)". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
19. Zamora de LaLiga Santander 2019 - 2020, Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 September 2020
20. "Leganés wins against Athletic at San Mamés and is still alive (0-2)". CD Leganés. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
21. Unai Simón renews contract until 2025, Athletic Club website, 20 August 2020
22. Herrán, Alfonso (25 January 2021). "Raúl y Muniain, los superleones". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
23. "Unai Simón detiene dos penaltis y conduce el Athletic a semifinales". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 4 February 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
24. Espina, José A. (4 February 2021). "Heroico Unai Simón". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
25. Burgos, Julián (19 November 2021). "Unai Simón le niega el triunfo al Levante en medio del diluvio". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
26. Rivas, Jon (6 December 2021). "Unai Simón frustra al Getafe". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
27. Herrán, Alfonso (11 February 2023). "El enésimo recital de Simón". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
28. Aramendia, Arkaitz (13 February 2023). "Unai Simón, los datos de un muro en la portería del Athletic". Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
29. "Unai Simón es un número 1". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 13 February 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
30. Markinez, Iñigo (30 October 2023). "¿Está Unai Simón en el mejor momento de su carrera deportiva?". cadena SER (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
31. "El Athletic se abraza a Simón y Nico, que llegan lanzados a la Selección". Relevo (in Spanish). 11 November 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
32. "El Athletic duerme en Champions". MARCA (in Spanish). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
33. "Simón consolida el mejor momento de su carrera y aspira a su primer Zamora". MARCA (in Spanish). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
34. "Unai Simón da alas al Athletic". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
35. Villapun, Jon (22 July 2015). "El portero del Basconia Unai Simón gana el Europeo sub'19 con España" [Basconia goalkeeper Unai Simón wins the U19 European Championship with Spain]. Bidebieta (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 April 2020.
36. "Selección de España: España da un repaso a Italia" [Spanish national team: Spain reviews Italy]. Marca.com (in Spanish). 1 September 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
37. "La Quinta de Oro" [The Golden Fifth]. Marca.com (in Spanish). 30 June 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
38. "Spain U21 2–1 Germany U21". BBC Sport. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
39. "OFICIAL | Lista de convocados de la Selección española para los partidos de la UEFA Nations League ante Alemania y Ucrania" [OFFICIAL | List of called-up players by the Spain national team for the UEFA Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine] (in Spanish). SEFutbol. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
40. "Luis Enrique echa un capote a Simón" [Luis Enrique throws a cape on Simón] (in Spanish). El Correo. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
41. Braidwood, Jamie (24 May 2021). "Euro 2020 news LIVE: Sergio Ramos left out of Spain squad plus latest before England announcement". The Independent. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
42. del Río, José (28 June 2021). "Unai Simon's horrific mistake for Croatia's opener". Marca. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
43. "Unai Simon and Pedri team up for shocking Spain own goal - but keeper gains 'redemption'". BBC Sport. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
44. "Switzerland 1-1 Spain (pens: 1-3): La Roja pip Swiss on penalties to reach semi-finals". UEFA. 2 July 2021.
45. "Italy hold nerve to beat Spain on penalties and reach final". The Hindu. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
46. "Pedri, Garcia & Torres among Spain's Euro 2020 players named in Tokyo Olympics squad". Goal. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
47. "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Brazil retain Olympic football gold with Malcom extra-time winner". Sky Sports. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
48. Hafez, Shamoon (6 December 2022). "World Cup 2022: Morocco 0–0 Spain (3–0 pens) Achraf Hakimi chips winning penalty to reach quarters". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
49. "Croatia 0 Spain 0 (4–5 on pens): As it happened". Guardian. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
50. "Spain 3-0 Croatia: Impressive La Roja make convincing start". UEFA. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
51. Unai Simón at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
52. "Unai Simón". www.athletic-club.eus. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
53. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Unai Simón". National Football Teams. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
54. Real, Mario Reinoso del (7 April 2024). "Athletic 1-1 (4-2) Mallorca, en directo: final de Copa del Rey 2024 | Celebración del Athletic, campeón de Copa". Diario AS.
55. "Acta del Partido celebrado el 17 de enero de 2021, en Sevilla" [Minutes of the Match held on 17 January 2021, in Seville] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
56. UEFA.com. "Spain 2-1 England | UEFA EURO 2024 Final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
57. Smith, Emma (18 June 2023). "Spain win Nations League final on penalties". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
58. "France beat Spain to win Nations League". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
59. "Equipo Revelación de La Liga 2019/20". UEFA. 21 July 2020.
60. "Los Premios 'Team Of The Season' de LALIGA y EA SPORTS desvelan los 15 mejores jugadores de la temporada" (in Spanish). LaLiga. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.

External links

• Unai Simón at ESPN FC