Meet the record-equalling keeper who helped Curacao make history

Figure caption,

Impenetrable Room inspires Curacao to first World Cup point against Ecuador

As Ecuador forward Enner Valencia raced through on Curacao's goal inside the opening three minutes, the outcome seemed inevitable.

About 10 yards out and with just the keeper to beat, he looked certain to score. It would give Curacao a mountain to climb - and, as it did in the 7-1 defeat by Germany in their World Cup opener, could well set the tone for what was to come.

But goalkeeper Eloy Room anticipated where Valencia's shot was headed, stooped low to his left and clawed the ball around the post. It was an improbable, barely believable save.

And the tone was, indeed, set.

By full-time, BBC Sport pundit and former Arsenal defender Martin Keown was joking a calculator might be needed to tot up the number of times Room had bailed his team out.

Yet it was Ecuador who were left counting the cost of their missed chances as World Cup debutants Curacao celebrated their first-ever point in the tournament.

Room, the 37-year-old Miami FC keeper, produced a remarkable and record-equalling performance, making 15 saves to keep his country level and eventually secure a goalless draw which will live long in the memory of the island nation.

Since records began in 1966, no goalkeeper has made more stops in 90 minutes of World Cup action, according to Opta.

Only Tim Howard has made as many in a single game but, unlike Room, he failed to keep a clean sheet after conceding twice in extra-time for the USA against Belgium in 2014.

"Take a bow, Room," said Keown on BBC One after the 0-0 draw.

"Absolutely magnificent. The number of saves, you were almost getting a calculator out at the end of the game to count them up.

"It just became a shopping list of saves. His reactions were first class. He seemed destined to keep a clean sheet all night."

It was a performance that inspired Room's country to their biggest-ever result.

Padel-loving keeper becomes Curacao hero

The fact Curacao are even in the competition has a lot to do with the Dutch-born goalkeeper – and the oldest member of their squad - as he made a crucial save in a 0-0 draw with Jamaica which secured their qualification in November.

Patrick Kluivert was manager of the Blue Wave in 2015 and it was the former striker who called former Netherlands Under-21 international Room to convince him to play for the country where his father is from.

Hailing from Nijmegen in the Netherlands, Room played the early part of his career in the Eredivisie. He made over 200 appearances across 10 years in the Dutch league including a title success with PSV and cup glory with Vitesse before moving to the USA and Columbus Crew in 2019.

After winning the MLS Cup with Columbus Crew in 2020 and the save-of-the-season honour, Room briefly returned to Europe but ended up back in the US with Miami FC, who compete in the second tier.

The goalkeeper, who loves to play padel and believes it helps improve his reflexes, may have made 15 saves in one World Cup match - but he did not make more than five in any one of his nine league games this season for Miami FC.

The five-save match came in a 4-3 win over Louisville City at Miami FC's Pitbull Stadium, a 20,000-capacity venue which had just 713 fans in attendance that evening.

But in front of 68,598 supporters at Kansas City Stadium, he wrote his name into World Cup history on football's biggest stage with a series of superb saves (from a total of 27 shots) and stopped Ecuador scoring despite an xG of 3.05.

"I still have to process myself," Room said. "The match is full of emotions. I knew it was going to be a tough match.

"The first save, the tone was put in place, also for the team. It gave me confidence and I grew, we all grew, this was a team effort.

"We've been fighting, fighting up to the last minute. Earning a point this way for Curacao is absolutely great."

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Curacao keeper Room equals World Cup saves record

'It will feel like a victory for them'

Room's display also helped create history for the island nation in their first ever World Cup.

There was delirium when they took an early lead against Germany in their opening game, but it would end in humiliation as the European giants eventually stuck seven past them.

Curacao next had to face Ecuador, a country ranked more than 50 places higher than them in the world who were looking to respond following defeat by Ivory Coast.

With a population of just 156,000 and a land mass smaller than the Isle of Man, Curacao is the smallest nation to ever compete in the World Cup.

The Caribbean island exists as a self-governing entity within the Kingdom of Netherlands and Dutch royalty King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were in the stands to watch Dick Advocaat's side pull off this unexpected draw.

"This evening is all about Curacao and what they've done, what they've achieved and that will feel like a victory for them," said Keown.

"It's a foothold in world football. They didn't come here to just make up the numbers - that is an outstanding result for them."

Curacao now face Ivory Coast in their final Group E game and, with this point secured, if they were to pull off a huge shock and beat the African nation then they would be heading into the last 32.

But whatever happens, this night will be forever remembered by the tiny island nation punching above its weight.

Figure caption,

'Curacao should build me a statue'