Curaçao clinches first World Cup point as goalkeeper Eloy Rom records 15 saves

Curaçao's national football team earned its first ever point at a FIFA World Cup after a 0‑0 draw with Ecuador in Group E of the 2026 tournament. The match followed a 1‑7 defeat to Germany and kept the Caribbean side in contention for knockout‑stage qualification.

Goalkeeper Eloy Rom, 37, who plays for Miami FC, made 15 saves – a World Cup record for the most saves in a 90‑minute match. Rom said, “I just closed my eyes and thought about everything we’ve been through,” reflecting on the decade‑long project to develop Curaçao‑born players.

Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to qualify with about 156,000 inhabitants, joined Germany, Ecuador and Côte d’Ivoire in a tightly contested group, with the draw giving the team a historic milestone.