Eloy Room's 15 Saves vs. Ecuador Fall Short of World Cup Record

Curaçao's Historic World Cup Draw: A Goalkeeper's Heroic Performance

Curaçao, the smallest nation to ever compete in a World Cup, made history on Saturday night in Kansas City with its first tournament point. This achievement was fueled by an extraordinary performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room, who made 15 saves in a 0-0 draw against Ecuador at Arrowhead Stadium. This remarkable feat ranks as the second-most saves in World Cup history, just one short of Tim Howard’s record 16 saves for the U.S. in a 2014 Round of 16 match against Belgium.

Room, a 37-year-old with a rich soccer journey, expressed his joy after being named Player of the Match. “I think I need a statue in Curaçao,” he joked while holding the trophy. The King and Queen of the Netherlands were in attendance, even joining the players in the locker room after the game, which might just make Room’s request a reality.

The match saw Curaçao hold off a strong Ecuador team, known as La Tricolor. Despite Ecuador’s 27 shots on goal, the pro-Ecuador crowd left the stadium frustrated. Fans shook their heads, some even screaming in Spanish for their coach to be fired. After the final whistle, the Curaçao team celebrated with Room, mobbing him in the penalty area before heading to join their fans.

“This feels like a victory right now for us,” Room said. “It’s the first point in the World Cup for us. It’s unreal. If you know the journey where we come from, and we’re now here.”

Room’s journey began in 2015 when he switched from representing his birth country, the Netherlands, to Curaçao, the nation of his familial heritage. He joined Curaçao for the early stages of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, although that campaign fell short. However, Room never gave up on his dream.

“I knew it back then it was a long road,” he said. “People called me crazy when I switched from Holland to Curaçao. But I had a goal in mind. Everything people said about the move didn’t matter. And at the end, I’m here. So I think I was right.”

While Room spent most of his career in the Netherlands, he is no stranger to American soccer. He currently plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship and previously spent five seasons with the Columbus Crew, winning an MLS Cup in 2020. His time with the Crew included a memorable match against Sporting KC in April 2022, where he made three saves and kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.

Room has also played on American soil multiple times for Curaçao during the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In 2019, he made 13 saves in a 1-0 win over Honduras. While that was a significant achievement, nothing compares to the bright lights of the World Cup.

Although Tim Howard’s performance remains No. 1 in the record books and the hearts of many Americans, Room’s performance has its own merits. Howard conceded two goals in his 16-save effort against Belgium, and the game went into extra time. Room’s 15 saves came in 90 minutes, with Ecuador not putting another shot on target for the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time.

“I’m a little bit annoyed I’m not breaking the record of Tim Howard,” Room joked. “I think he was sweating at home.”