Eloy Room made 15 saves against a relentless Ecuador attack to help Curaçao earn its first-ever point with a 0-0 draw at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The outcome also allowed Germany, which beat Ivory Coast earlier in the day, to clinch Group E.
The 37-year-old Room, whose shutout of Jamaica last November sent Curaçao to its first World Cup, bounced back in historic fashion from a 7-1 loss to Germany. His save total was one shy of the record—since saves became an official stat in 1966—of 16 set by Tim Howard of the U.S. against Belgium on July 1, 2014. Howard needed 120 minutes for his total, though. Nobody has made more saves than Room without extra time.
"I think I need a statue in Curaçao now," he said with a smile.
"It's going to be an insane memory," said Room, who plays for USL Championship club Miami FC. "You don't think about it when you do it but of course it's going to be something you look back to. For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost a perfect game."
Eloy Room and Curaçao prepare for Ivory Coast challenge after spoiling Ecuador’s party
The draw doesn't eliminate either team from knockout play, but it put Ecuador in dire shape going into its group finale. Those matches take place Thursday with Curaçao facing Ivory Coast in Philadelphia and Ecuador playing Germany in New York.
"Well, there are things you cannot explain in football," Ecuador coach Sebastián Beccacece said. "We wanted to win. We didn't do it. I am the one who bears responsibility, and I told my team, 'If you're giving it all, competing, I have no complaints.'
"As long as we are alive, we will continue to give it our all. We are very united. We are like a family. No one said it would be easy."
And King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who began a memorable day in Houston cheering the Dutch past Sweden, then flew to Kansas City to watch a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands make history.
"They were even dancing in the locker room to our music," Room said. "That's unreal that they witnessed this game."
The pressure mounted on Ecuador earlier Saturday, when Deniz Undav's goal in stoppage time lifted Germany to a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. The outcome of that match in Toronto meant that La Tri faced World Cup elimination with a loss to The Blue Wave.
Curaçao made sure the pressure continued once play began.
Throughout the first half, 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat's team kept finding seams through the middle of Ecuador's defence, and that created open looks at the goal. But each time, Curaçao would end the runs with a sloppy pass or a shot wide of the net.
Ecuador wasted its best scoring chance in the opening minutes, when World Cup veteran Enner Valencia found nothing between him and the goalkeeper. But Room guessed right, dived to his left and deflected the shot to keep the game scoreless.
"For us it's no shock," Curaçao midfielder Tahith Chong said. "We've gotten used to Eloy doing these unbelievable saves."
The pressure of La Tri picked up in the second half—and each time, Room was standing in the way.
Moisés Caicedo forced him into making a spectacular save early on, then Valencia did the same with a well-placed header that Room knocked wide. On the ensuing corner kick, Room made two more sensational saves before Curaçao finally cleared it.
Ecuador wound up taking 27 shots to just 10 for Curaçao. Ten of the 15 saves Room made were inside the box.
It was that kind of special night for him. And that kind of frustrating night for Ecuador.
"The team deserved more than they got," Beccacece said, "and I am the one who is responsible for that."
