15 Saves 90 Minutes Curacao Goalkeeper Eloy Room World Cup Record

Just days after Curacao’s horrific initiation with a 1-7 drubbing at the hands of Germany in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the smallest country to ever qualify for the quadrennial tournament redeemed themselves through their goalkeeper, Eloy Room.

The 37-year-old brickwall as at the heart of Curacao’s inspired second Group E appearance in a goalless draw against Ecuador at the Kansas City Stadium on Saturday night. The Netherlands-born goalkeeper remained unflinching as Ecuador launched an avalanche of attempts at the target and a whopping 27 shots in all, taking away a World Cup record in only his second appearance for the most shots saved in regulation time. Room’s Player of the Match display also marked the second-highest ever saves in a World Cup appearance by a goalkeeper in the record books since 1966.

Saving 15 shots through the night, the Miami FC goalkeeper’s performance handed Curacao their first World Cup point in only their second appearance in the finals. A win over Ivory Coast during the final league stage round next Friday will earn them shot at a magical knockouts berth.

Room’s 15 saves edged out Peruvian goalkeeper Ramón Quiroga, who had secured 13 saves against the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup. The tally is only bettered by former USA goalkeeper Tim Howard who had made 16 saves during the Round of 16 match against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup, 12 of which had come in regulation time.

Born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Room developed through the academy of Eredivisie club Vitesse. After earning a single cap for the Netherlands at the U20 level, he went on to make his international debut for Curaçao in 2015, making him one of the senior-most stars of the Caribbean nation.

Room decided to switch nationalities after a chat with then national team coach Patrick Kluivert, the veteran Dutch striker who also shared a Curacoan connect through his mother.

“The whole reason that I chose to play for Curaçao is that I had a dream as a little kid to make it to the World Cup with Curaçao. When [Patrick] Kluivert contacted me to play for Curaçao, first of all, I was really honored that Kluivert called me because he’s a big legend. I was surprised but also really proud. I was one of the first guys who chose to play for Curaçao as a professional,” Room told in a FIFA interview.

“And now I think almost everyone in the world knows what Curaçao is.”

They will also remember the 6-foot-3 goalie who put in a frenetic Saturday shift between the sticks in Kansas, one that powered Curacao’s first-ever World Cup point.