Zero Shots Allowed in 90 Minutes: A Miraculous 'Suffocating Defense'

[Anchor]

Spain has once again proven the football adage that "no player is greater than the team." By not allowing a single shot to Argentina, led by Messi, throughout the entire 90 minutes of the first and second halves, they have written a new chapter in history with the fewest goals conceded by a champion.

Reporter Pyeon Gwanghyeon has the story.

[Reporter]

Even the "football messiah" Messi could hardly find a way through Spain's organized defense.

In the 24th minute of the first half, the rare space that opened up in front of Messi was blocked by Rodri, the core of the Spanish defense, and a sharp forward pass aimed at the space behind the Spanish line was intercepted by Laporte, who was guarding the path.

Whether in the midfield or on the flanks, Spain tightened the noose around Argentina with collaborative defense.

[Thierry Henry / Fox Sports Commentator: From Argentina's perspective, it must feel like their heads are submerged in water, suffocating.]

Ultimately, Argentina, which had been scoring 2.71 goals per game leading up to the final, failed to record a single shot during the 90 minutes of regulation time. Even after conceding the winning goal, their only attempts were a shot by Messi that was blocked by the defense and a shot by Simeone that sailed over the bar.

[Marc Cucurella / Spain National Football Team Defender: It is thanks to everyone's dedication. Every player participated in both attack and defense.]

If Spain's first title in 2010 opened the era of "tiki-taka," which emphasizes high possession through short passes, this victory was driven by a further upgraded defensive organization.

After completely shutting down France, the highest-scoring team in the tournament, in the semifinals with airtight defense, they went on to neutralize Argentina's firepower. They kept clean sheets in 7 out of 8 matches, a first in World Cup history, conceding only one goal in the quarterfinals against Belgium.

By setting a new record for the fewest goals conceded by a World Cup champion, Spain has personally proven the adage that teams with strong defenses win short-term tournaments.

(Video Editing: Lee Jae-seong, Graphics: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.