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.

Simón made his senior international debut for Spain in 2020, playing at UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 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); their son was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, and raised in the nearby village of Murgia. He joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2011 from CD Aurrerá de Vitoria, lodging with a family in the Bilbao area.

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. On 8 June 2016, he was promoted to the reserves, recently relegated to Segunda División B. He immediately became a starter for the side, contributing with 29 appearances during the campaign.

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

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. He initially appeared to be behind the older Álex Remiro in the queue for selection, but made his professional – and La Liga – debut five days later, starting in a 2–1 home win against CD Leganés. 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. 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.

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. He continued his strong form throughout the season, missing two fixtures with illness and completing 33 matches in the league, conceding 29 goals to finish third in the Zamora Trophy rankings. 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.

In August 2020, he signed a new contract with the club running to the summer of 2025, with no buyout clause. In January 2021, he saved a penalty from Getafe's Jaime Mata. 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.

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). 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. On 10 November 2023, in one of his best moments as a professional, 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. 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; in addition, Simón consolidated his position as leader in the Zamora Trophy with his fifteenth clean sheet in the league.

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. In the same year he was in the Basque Country under-18 team that won the Spanish regional championship.

On 1 September 2017, Simón debuted with the under-21 team against Italy. 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).

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. 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.

On 24 May 2021, Simón was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. 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. Luis Enrique praised his mentality for having recovered from that mistake. He then managed to save two penalties as Spain won the shootout against Switzerland in the quarter-finals after a 1–1 draw, for which he was also awarded the Star of the Match. 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. Simón was also called up for the Spanish Olympic team for the delayed 2020 tournament in Japan. With Simón as the starting goalkeeper they reached the final, but lost to Brazil.

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. 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.

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.

Honours
Athletic Bilbao
 * Copa del Rey: 2023–24
 * Supercopa de España: 2021

Spain U19
 * UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2015

Spain U21
 * UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2019

Spain U23 Spain
 * Summer Olympic silver medal: 2020
 * UEFA European Championship: 2024

Individual
 * UEFA Nations League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
 * UEFA La Liga Revelation Team of the Year: 2019–20
 * La Liga Team of the Season: 2023–24
 * La Liga Zamora Trophy: 2023–24