"I need a statue in Curaçao!" Who is Eloy Room, the new World Cup hero?

The 37-year-old Curaçao national team goalkeeper Eloy Room became the main protagonist in the clash against Ecuador. Thanks to his phenomenal performance, he not only set a historic tournament record, but also secured his country's first-ever point at a World Cup.

Room pulled off an astonishing 15 saves in 90 minutes—the highest number ever recorded in regulation time at a World Cup. For his heroics, Room was named Man of the Match. After the final whistle, the goalkeeper was overwhelmed with emotion.

After the final whistle, you don't know what to think. So much has happened, so many emotions all at once. I need a statue in Curaçao! the goalkeeper said with a smile.

Room's path to global fame was anything but ordinary. Born in the Netherlands, the goalkeeper came up through his home country’s youth teams, but since 2015 he has represented Curaçao thanks to his father's heritage. At club level, he made nearly 200 appearances for Vitesse, became a Dutch champion with PSV, lifted the MLS Cup with Columbus Crew, and now plays for Miami FC in the US second division.

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Remarkably, Room’s performance against Ecuador instantly turned him into a global star. Before the match, his social media following hovered around 100,000, but within hours that number soared past 840,000.