Curaçao Keeper Eloy Room Makes World Cup History in 0-0 Draw With Ecuador

Curaçao earned the biggest result in its history early Sunday, holding Ecuador to a 0-0 draw at the 2026 World Cup and becoming the smallest country ever to take a point at the tournament. The standout figure was 37-year-old goalkeeper Eloy Room, whose performance turned the match into a historic one.

Room, who plays for Miami F.C. in the U.S. second division, made 15 saves in 90 minutes. That is the most ever recorded by a goalkeeper in a World Cup match without extra time, and the second-highest total in World Cup history overall, behind Tim Howard’s 16 saves in a 120-minute game. His display earned him the Man of the Match award.

The save count quickly made him a global talking point. Within hours of the final whistle, his Instagram following surged by hundreds of thousands as fans around the world praised the little-known keeper for repeatedly denying Ecuador.

After the match, Room was emotional and dedicated the achievement to Jairzinho, Curaçao’s goalkeeper who died seven years ago. He wore a shirt with Jairzinho’s picture in the tribute. Curaçao celebrated its first-ever point on football’s biggest stage, while the team is now looking ahead to what comes next in the group stage.