Summary
- Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room produced one of the most remarkable displays in World Cup history on Saturday, making 15 saves in a 0‑0 draw against Ecuador to secure his nation’s first ever point at the tournament.
- Room, 37, became the oldest player in Curacao’s squad to feature on the biggest stage, and his performance set a record for the most saves in a 90‑minute World Cup match.
- Ecuador’s goalkeeper Hernan Galindez described it as “the game of his life.” Curacao, the smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup with a population of just 156,000, joined fellow debutants Cape Verde in finding unexpected heroes in goal.
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room produced one of the most remarkable displays in World Cup history on Saturday, making 15 saves in a 0‑0 draw against Ecuador to secure his nation’s first ever point at the tournament.
Room, 37, became the oldest player in Curacao’s squad to feature on the biggest stage, and his performance set a record for the most saves in a 90‑minute World Cup match. Only Tim Howard of the United States has made more stops in a single game, with 16 in an extra‑time defeat to Belgium in 2014.
From the opening minutes, Room denied Ecuador’s Enner Valencia from close range, setting the tone for a night of resilience. He later blocked an 18‑metre strike from John Yeboah and a second‑half header from Valencia, among many others. Ecuador’s goalkeeper Hernan Galindez described it as “the game of his life.”
Curacao, the smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup with a population of just 156,000, joined fellow debutants Cape Verde in finding unexpected heroes in goal. Cape Verde’s Vozinha had earlier helped his side hold Spain to a 0‑0 draw.
Room’s heroics drew global attention, with his Instagram following surging from under 100,000 to nearly 700,000 after the match. Netherlands’ King Willem‑Alexander and Queen Maxima were in attendance, celebrating with the team afterward. Room said the queen even kissed him during the jubilant scenes.
Born near the German border, Room plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship but spent much of his career at Dutch club Vitesse, as well as stints with Columbus Crew in MLS and PSV Eindhoven. He became eligible to represent Curacao through his father and joined the team in 2015 after being contacted by Patrick Kluivert.
For Room, the draw was not just a personal triumph but a landmark moment for Curacao. “This is history,” he said, reflecting on his childhood dream of playing at the World Cup for the island nation.
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