Eloy Room

Eloy Room is the Curacao national goalkeeper who made 15 saves in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City on 20 June 2026, breaking the World Cup single-match saves record previously held by Tim Howard (USA, 2014). The performance earned Curacao a point in their second group-stage match and produced one of the most discussed individual goalkeeping displays in tournament history.

Room plays his club football in North America's MLS and has long been the first-choice goalkeeper for the Curacao national team, a small Caribbean island nation that competes through CONCACAF. Curacao has gradually established itself as a competitive CONCACAF side, qualifying for their first World Cup at the 2026 tournament, which is jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Room's athleticism and shot-stopping ability have been central to that rise.

Room's record-breaking performance placed Curacao's small footballing story at the heart of 2026 World Cup coverage, with a single player from a nation of roughly 150,000 people outperforming the historical benchmark set by one of the most celebrated saves in the sport.