Simón is likely to be in goal against Ronaldo when Portugal take on Spain in the encounter billed for Monday, 6 July.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has warned his teammates not to become complacent against Cristiano Ronaldo when they meet in the Round of 16 of the ongoing World Cup, insisting: “We must keep him [quiet].”
He issued the warning while speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the mouth-watering, all-European encounter.
Spain will on Monday take on Portugal in a last-16 fixture of the tournament, scheduled for the Dallas Stadium in Arlington.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo is the oldest captain participating in this summer’s tournament in North America and has netted three goals in four matches. His first goal of the campaign made him the first player in history to score in six different World Cups.
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The Al-Nassr forward’s most recent goal came during the 2-1 Round of 32 comeback victory against 2018 finalists Croatia in Toronto, where he converted a penalty to equalise before Gonçalo Ramos secured the win with a stoppage-time goal from the bench.
Speaking ahead of the Seleção’s rematch against La Roja—a repeat of their 2010 World Cup Round of 16 meeting—Simón admitted Ronaldo has advanced in age.
The shot-stopper, however, warned that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains incredibly dangerous, especially within the penalty box.
Addressing reporters, he said: “The Cristiano of today is not the same as the one from six or seven years ago, during his prime.
“However, it is evident that we must keep him as far from the box as possible, because when he is inside the area, he is decisive.”
