Kansas City (AFP) – Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room joked that he deserves a statue on the Caribbean island after a jaw-dropping display that earned the team their first-ever World Cup point.
Issued on: 21/06/2026 - 08:12
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The 37-year-old shot-stopper made 15 saves in the Group E match against Ecuador on Saturday to keep alive Curacao's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.His tally is the most on record -- since 1966 -- by any goalkeeper in a World Cup match that did not feature extra-time.Curacao celebrated their 0-0 draw in Kansas City wildly -- days after a chastening 7-1 defeat against Germany on their World Cup debut."It means everything," said Room. "It feels like a victory, you know, for us. But now it means a lot. It's the first point in the World Cup for us. "So it's unreal if you know the journey where we come from and we're now here. And today we showed we have real heart with the team. So it's an unbelievable feeling."
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made a record 15 saves in the World Cup Group E match against Ecuador © Francois Nel / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
