Who is Eloy Room? Curaçao’s shot-stopping goalkeeper

37-year-old Eloy Room made history on Saturday night. Recording 15 saves in Curaçao’s World Cup game against Ecuador.

Room has played 40 matches with the Curaçao national team following that record setting night. Representing the nation for over a decade, with his first matching coming on June 10, 2015.

Room was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands. He would spend the first 11 years of his professional career playing in the Netherlands, playing in the Eredivisie, the topflight of Dutch soccer, for 10 of those 11 seasons.

The Dutchman’s best seasons in the Eredivisie came in back-to-back years, 204-2015 and 2015-2016.

Recording 17 clean sheets through his 57 games over those two seasons.

Room would move over to the U.S. in 2019 to join MLS side Columbus Crew, transferring over for $1.5 million.

He would play 96 matches with Columbus, helping them win the MLS Cup in 2020 and receiving another ring in 2023 after the team would win the MLS Cup again following his departure.

In 2023, he would return to Vitesse, the club he made his profession start with, to play his 9th season with the team.

Following the end of the 2023-2024 season, Room would join Belgian side Cercle Brugge for the 2024-25 season.

Following his time in the Belgian Pro League A, he would come back to the U.S., this time joining USL Championship side Miami FC.

Through his nine matches with the club this year. He has posted four clean sheets and recorded 14 saves on 37 shots on net.

He and Curaçao will look for their first win in World Cup history as they’ll match up against Ivory Coast at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Follow Adrian Murillo Silva on Instagram @adrianms_official