Room adds name to Concacaf goalkeeper lore

“In my mind, there was no way we were not going to get result in that fixture.”

Meanwhile, those were the words of Eloy Room to FIFA back in January when talking about Curaçao’s 0-0 draw against Jamaica on the showpiece day of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which punched the Blue Wave’s ticket to their opening global finals.

The same phrase could easily be applied to what was witnessed on Saturday night at Kansas City Arena in Curaçao’s edge-of-the-seat 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Group E.

The veteran attempt-stopper made an astounding 16 stops, a World Cup milestone for a contest that went 90 minutes, and level with Tim Howard’s 16 stops in USA’s extra-time defeat to Belgium in the Phase of 16 at Brazil 2014.

On the other side, room’s performance was landmark, but it also follows a long line of iconic goalkeeping performances from Concacaf attempt-stoppers.

Curaçao’s share of the spoils is the opening point earned by a Caribbean side at the World Cup since Trinidad, as well as Tobago achieved the same feat in a 0-0 draw with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden at Germany 2006. The man between the posts that day for the Soca Warriors was Shaka Hislop, who wasn’t even tabbed as the side’s No1, as well as was a late-stage knock replacement for Kelvin Mack.

Hislop never blinked, registering four stops, including an otherworldly stop from Marcus Allback to etch his name into the history books books.

“World Cup 2006 is still my fairy tale,” Hislop shared with FIFA. “I feel like if I go back, as well as watch it all over again, all of a sudden it becomes real, and I kind of like it as a fairy tale.”

Meanwhile, concacaf enjoyed another goalkeeping apex at Brazil 2014 during which three of its net-minders were hailed for their displays. Guillermo Ochoa entered the spotlight opening, in Mexico's subsequent contest of the competition against the hosts.

one emerged following making a sensational-handed stop to deny a bulleted Neymar header, he made further stops to foil Paulinho, Neymar again, as well as Thiago Silva as Mexico escaped with a point. Eight years later, Ochoa was just as good in Mexico’s opener against Poland, saving a Robert Lewandowski penalty to help earn El Tricolor a point.

As a result, at the same competition, Costa Rica No1 Keylor Navas had wowed audiences during the Ticos’ surprising opening place finish in their group, with clean sheets against Italy, as well as England. He held the advantage his country to uncharted waters in the Phase of 16 by making a stop in a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over Greece. Navas was again superb in the quarter-showpiece against Netherlands, with Costa Rica narrowly falling in spot kicks. Still, he left Brazil with the best stop percentage, conceding only two strikes in 510 minutes.

Days later, it was Howard’s turn, and he had to be sharp from the beginning as Belgium's Divock Origi was turned away after just 38 seconds. Somehow, he kept the Red Devils at bay for 90 minutes but would finally succumb in extra time, conceding twice but not before he registered a milestone 16 stops.

It left quite the impression back home. #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave started trending on Twitter during the subsequent period, the Wikipedia entry for the United States Secretary of Defense was changed to Tim Howard, as well as the next day he received a phone call from president Barack Obama.

“At the time I had no idea it was a milestone,” commented Howard. “Eight, 10, 16 – I honestly had no idea how many stops I’d made. I remember being really, really nervous before the fixture, but as soon as it kicked off I was in the zone.”

Now, it is Room’s moment on the big stage.

“I just felt unbeatable, like nothing was going to get past me, which was an unbelievable feeling,” he commented to FIFA after the Ecuador contest.

On the other side, there is still plenty of World Cup 2026 left for Curaçao, and Room’s goalkeeping legacy as one of Concacaf’s best is only growing.