The time has arrived for the best to get rewarded. But ‘am I the best?‘ is the question Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon will ask himself as he gets ready to take on England in the finals of Euro 2024. The star has been one of the most prolific penalty savers in the game in recent times, along with wizards like Emiliano Martinez and Jordan Pickford. But now he may need to prove that he is better than Pickford, that too against the likes of Europe’s monster attackers like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka in open play.

Simon’s life off the field is also interesting but kept private most of the time. While nothing much is known about the Spaniard’s love life, his parents did play a key role in his pursuits to become what he is now. Let’s take a look at what we know about Simon’s parents.

Parents of Unai Simon: Everything about the Spanish security couple

Unai Simon was born on June 11, 1997, in Murgia, Spain. However, his roots can be traced back to San Marcial del Vino, a town in Zamora where his paternal ancestors hail from. His father Daniel Simón aka Don serves in Spain’s protection forces, and so does his mother.

Reports suggest that Don originally hails from San Marcial where Simon’s mother also lived. The senior Simon was professionally a Civil Guard agent in Zamora itself but was later transferred to Basque Country. That’s where he met Simons’ mother, a member working for Ertzaintza, which is the regional security force of Bosque. Nevertheless, additional details about his mother are not in the public domain. But both their parents had a significant influence on Simon’s life, as claimed by the goalie himself.

How Simon’s parents influenced his life

It was at his paternal grandmother’s home in Zamora that Unai Simon started playing soccer when he used to visit during his summer holidays. His father took a keen interest in his game and used to accompany him to training sessions and matches during his early days. Don used to record videos of Unai’s matches and analyze his performances later. He even used to help his coach assess the team step by step back in the day.

In addition, Unai’s parents also gave him the freedom to choose whatever he wanted to choose. He chose soccer over basketball as his main sport. “They have never instilled in me to pursue their line of work, but rather to follow certain values, the same ones I later learned at Athletic. What I can say is that my parents are the most influential people in shaping who I am, and I am proud of it,” Unai Simon recently said, giving his parents their due for all that they taught him from the beginning.

Simon will now try to repay their hard work with a win in the 2024 Euro final and hope to make them proud.