Curaçao made history on Saturday, June 20, 2026, by securing a scoreless draw against Ecuador in the World Cup group stage at Arrowhead Stadium.
The result gave the tournament debutants their first-ever World Cup point.
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Goalkeeper Eloy Room was the hero, making 15 saves to keep a relentless Ecuadorian offense at bay.
According to Fotmob statistics, Ecuador registered 28 total shots, with a third classified as significant scoring opportunities.
Room fell just one save short of the single-game World Cup record set by American Tim Howard in 2014.
Ecuador's Path Complicated
The draw complicates Ecuador's tournament trajectory.
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After a previous loss to Ivory Coast, the South American side likely needs a victory over Germany in their final group match to advance.
Curaçao, meanwhile, has officially replaced Iceland as the smallest nation by geographic size to ever compete in a World Cup.
The Caribbean island covers just over 400 square kilometers and has a population of around 158,000.
The team qualified thanks to the expanded 48-team tournament format, relying heavily on players from the diaspora in the Netherlands.
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Historical ties allow dual nationality, and 25 of the 26 squad members are Dutch-born with Curaçaoan heritage.
