Athletic’s win over Real Sociedad was culmination of six unique days for the Spain keeper after night at Palladium

For the third time in six days everyone got to their feet to hand a standing ovation to Unai Simón, dressed in all black, before the world. Named the best men’s goalkeeper on the planet, holding the Lev Yashin trophy, they had applauded him at the London Palladium on Monday night and before the game began at San Mamés, Bilbao, on Sunday. Now somewhere in the middle of it all, the ferocity of the 197th Basque derby, there was another moment, even more meaningful and more lasting, a cheer again giving way to something deeper: an appreciation for a man as well as his work closing a week that will be forever his. Which means it will be forever theirs too.

Real Sociedad and Athletic Club had been doing battle for 72 minutes and it was 2-1 when Simon took off to make a save that denied Carlos Soler an equaliser and defied belief. As the ball flew off his palm, San Mamés exploded. And then it happened: never mind that Athletic still had a derby to win and a corner to defend, forget the fact that the lead was a single goal, the visitors relentless now and 25 minutes still to resist; at the stadium everyone calls the Cathedral, a place of ritual and liturgy like no other, the entire congregation, 50,092 people, started clapping. Started and did not stop. For a minute, maybe more, it was like the match that matters most didn’t matter at all, momentarily fading until it was just him and them together.

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