Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room became a World Cup hero after making 15 saves against Ecuador as his Instagram following surged towards the one million mark overnight06:31, 21 Jun 2026Updated 06:31, 21 Jun 2026Eloy Room has emerged as the latest World Cup sensation following his extraordinary display for Curacao.‌In the Group E clash between Curacao and Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both sides battled hard for supremacy, though the Ecuadorians were clearly the more dominant force. On the night, Ecuador registered 26 shots, with 15 on target, compared to Curacao's 10 attempts and just four on target.‌Despite the stark disparity in chances created, the match ended level, largely thanks to the 37-year-old Room's superhuman performance between the sticks. The heroics came as Iranian protesters explained why it was vital for them to make their voices heard during the World Cup.‌With Ecuador relentlessly pressing throughout, Room barely had a moment's respite, yet it was evident the goalkeeper was operating on an entirely different level to those around him. When the final whistle blew, Room had pulled off 15 saves — the second highest total in World Cup history.Only United States Men's National Team legend Tim Howard had surpassed Room's tally, making 16 saves during the USA's epic encounter with Belgium in 2014. Notably, Howard achieved that figure across 120 minutes of action, while the Curacao stopper managed his in just 90 minutes.Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by _signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!‌Furthermore, global stats provider Opta has since clarified that Howard actually made 15 saves rather than 16, drawing him level with Room for the most saves recorded in a single World Cup match.Room walked away with the FIFA Man of the Match Award after producing a stunning display, keeping out 10 shots from inside the box while helping the nation of just over 150,000 people claim their first points of the World Cup.‌Such was the impact of Room's performance on the world's biggest footballing stage that his Instagram following exploded overnight. The 37-year-old, who plies his trade with Miami FC in the USL Championship, had just over 100,000 followers heading into the match.By the final whistle, that figure had rocketed to over 465,000, bringing his total to nearly 600,000 - all on the back of a single night's work. At the time of writing, his follower count had surged past 760,000 as supporters continued to flood in.Speaking after the game, Room jokingly called for a statue to be erected in his honour in Curacao, while also admitting he was "a little bit annoyed" at falling short of Howard's record.‌"So I think he was sweating at home, you know, looking at the game," the 37-year-old said with a laugh. "But no, yeah, I heard it was also another record from really long ago."So yeah, I'm proud of that."The goalkeeper also conceded that Saturday night's display was perhaps as good as he and his teammates could have delivered given the circumstances. "For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost the perfect game, you know," he said.Article continues below"So I'm really proud on the team also, because again, we did it with the team. I make the saves, but we fought as a team, also the players who came in. But yeah, I think I need a statue in Curacao, I think now."Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.