Handball is a sport of statistics - there are staff employed at every game to compile a variety of numbers to be used in a variety of ways.

Here is one number: 50.

That is 50 as in 50%, or half of something.

This is also how many total shots Xoan Ledo, the Spanish goalkeeper, saved against Denmark in Spain’s quarter-final win.

Against the Scandinavians he stopped 18 out 36 shots including 7 out of 9 field shots and 11 out of 22 line shots. An amazing performance and, as the handball legend Andrey Lavrov told IHF.info earlier on in the tournament; “a handball goalkeeper is half the team," and in this case, it was true.

“Phew” said Ledo, exhaling a shocked and, at the same, tired breath in the changing room after that Denmark victory when told what his statistics were from the game.

Asked just seconds earlier what he thought they were he had told IHF.info “40%”. But when he was told to go higher, he had no idea.

This is a common theme with Ledo;  he is a softly spoken, humble player who took his time to answer questions in both Spanish and English, listening intently to give the best possible answer, with help in translation from Spanish assistant coach Daniel Sanchez-Nieves.

“We have a very good defence and thanks to that I can save all these shots,” said the FC Barcelona goalkeeper when asked if he felt proud of those figures.

“It’s down to our defence - I was very concentrated in the Denmark game, I knew I had to be concentrated every shot - shot-by-shot.

“If Denmark scored one shot then I knew I had to concentrate even more on the next one to save it.”

That defence has been very impressive from Spain - out of the four semi-finalists they have managed the fewest shots against them with just 240 faced. Slovenia’s goalkeepers have faced 249 shots, France 254 and Iceland 271.

Even more impressive is that out of the four teams left remaining Ledo, is the clear leader in shots saved out of the number one choice goalkeepers of each team with an overall save rate of 43%, having saved 80 shots from 187 he has faced.

Ledo has also played nearly five-and-a-half hours at Russia 2015 (5:24:37) for Spain over their seven games to date, including all 60 minutes against Denmark - the most of his squad.

“It was a very good job from the goalkeeper himself in the match,” said Spanish coach Alberto Suarez Menendez after the match when asked why Ledo had played the whole match.

“Both goalkeepers and the goalkeeper coach spent a lot time preparing for the match including lots of video preparation and along with all the defence they did a good job.”

That goalkeeping team has been a visual presence throughout Russia 2015 -not just for the fact that on court the goalkeepers wear a striking pink top, but with their goalkeeper coach sitting in the stands, are constantly in contact during the 60 minutes with each other.

At half-time, along with fellow Spanish goalkeeper Alejandro Moron, Ledo and the goalkeeper coach prefer to not go into the changing room but sit down and go through video analysis of the first half.

“In the first half, if I have any mistakes I can talk through them with my coach,” said Ledo about the half-time review. “He is helping us both and teaches us both; he teaches me what I have to do to save more goals [in the second half.”

Ledo is quick to point out that there are plenty of goalkeepers at Russia 2015 who he has been able to watch and be impressed with, including Emil Nielsen of Denmark, the Hungarian goalkeepers and France, who he says have “awesome” goalkeepers and who Spain have to try and work out how to beat in their semi-final later today - but how do they do that?

“With a similar defence like we had against Denmark,” said Ledo, who turned 19 a few weeks before Russia 2015 started.

“In our one-to-one actions we have to be very strong and to not make their shots too easy. In attack we have to make our chances.”

So with that 50% in his last game can fans of Spain and of the tournament expect anything more from the 1,88m goalkeeper who now has 25 international matches to his name.

“[The last save against Denmark I made] was a good save right at the end,” said Ledo, who has one goal assist to his name at Russia 2015. “The player was very near to me and I managed to catch it with both hands.

“This save meant I helped my team at the end - when I do this, I feel extraordinary.

“I always play 100% but I know can give more to my team for all the remaining matches.”