Eloy Room, a 37-year-old goalkeeper who trains with Key Biscayne Soccer Academy coach Cristian Blanco, set the all-time World Cup record for saves in regulation on Saturday, June 20, stopping all 15 of Ecuador's shots on target to earn Curaçao a historic 0-0 draw at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

It was the first World Cup point in the history of the tiny Dutch Caribbean island nation of 150,000 people.

Room, who stands 6-foot-2 and plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship, has been working with Blanco at Florida International University's facilities since January. Blanco, who also serves as Miami FC's goalkeeper coach, founded the Key Biscayne Soccer Academy's goalkeeper program about eight years ago.

The performance was staggering by any measure. Ecuador fired 27 shots, generating 3.05 expected goals, according to Opta. Room's first save came in the second minute, denying Ecuador forward Enner Valencia from close range. The woodwork also saved Curaçao in the 90th minute.

Room earned FIFA's Man of the Match award. His Instagram following surged from roughly 100,000 to more than a million overnight. After the final whistle, he danced in the locker room with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who attended the match.

"I cried a little, but out of emotion," Blanco told the Islander News. "When you see something very close to you, and it becomes a big story, I feel like I was part of the job with all the work we've put in."

Room's 15 saves broke the previous regulation record of 13, held by Peru's Ramón Quiroga from the 1978 World Cup. Tim Howard's 16-save performance for the United States against Belgium in 2014 remains the all-time mark, but four of those came in extra time, according to USA Today.

Room chose to represent Curaçao over the Netherlands to honor his father, who was born on the island. Patrick Kluivert recruited him to the national team in 2015. His resume includes leading Vitesse to its first KNVB Cup title in 125 years in 2017 and backstopping the Columbus Crew to the 2020 MLS championship.

Curaçao entered the 48-team tournament ranked 46th with 2,500-to-1 odds. Their World Cup run ended Thursday, June 25, with a 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast in the final group match, following a 7-1 opening defeat to Germany.

After the Ecuador match, Room visited FIU's Pitbull Stadium for a light workout and presented Blanco with an official Curaçao World Cup jersey.

Room's record stands in the books, but the 2026 World Cup continues without Curaçao. The Round of 16 runs through Monday, July 7, quarterfinals begin Thursday, July 9, and the final is set for Sunday, July 19, in East Rutherford, N.J. The third-place match will be played Saturday, July 18, in Miami Gardens.