Unai Simón will have the chance to make his 263rd appearance for Athletic Club on Wednesday against Espanyol, equaling Raimundo Pérez Lezama as the fourth-highest appearance-making goalkeeper in the club’s history.
Lezama guarded the rojiblanco goal between 1942 and 1957. Ahead of both in the all-time rankings are José Ángel Iribar (614), Carmelo Cedrún (404), and Gorka Iraizoz (392).
A product of Lezama’s youth academy since the cadet category, the 28-year-old Simón made an unexpected senior debut. That came on August 20, 2018, at San Mamés against Leganés, just days after being recalled from a loan spell at Elche in the Segunda División.
The then-manager, Eduardo Berizzo, decided to bring back the goalkeeper from Álava three weeks after sending him to the Martínez Valero, following Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move to Chelsea, a Herrerín injury, and Remiro’s refusal to renew his contract with the Bilbao club.
After playing seven matches, Herrerín’s recovery relegated Simón to the bench, and that 2018-2019 season he only returned for four Copa del Rey games. The following campaign, however, he secured the starting spot, which he has maintained in league competition ever since, barring physical setbacks.
As an international, after winning the European Championship with the U-19s in 2015 and the U-21s in 2019, Simón was first called up to the senior squad by Luis Enrique in August 2020. He made his debut in a friendly against the Netherlands that November. Having established himself as Spain’s starting goalkeeper, the Murgia-born shot-stopper now has 57 caps. He has played in two European Championships (2020 and 2024) and one World Cup (2022), winning two titles: the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship. He also won an Olympic silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games.