Curacao goalie demands statue after heroics against Ecuador

Make room for this man’s statue!

Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room joked that he deserved a statue on the Caribbean island after making 15 saves – the most in World Cup history over 90 minutes since 1966 – against Ecuador during the 0-0 draw that kept alive their slim hopes of making the knockouts.

"It means everything," said Room following his heroics. "It feels like a victory, you know, for us. But now it means a lot. It's the first point in the World Cup for us.

"So it's unreal if you know the journey where we come from and we're now here. And today we showed we have real heart with the team. So it's an unbelievable feeling."

The Miami FC goalkeeper joked that he was disappointed to miss out on former US goalkeeper Tim Howard's record of 16 saves noted by FIFA in a match against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil that went to extra-time.

"I think he was sweating at home, you know, looking at the game," he said. "But I heard it was also another record from really long ago. So yeah, I'm proud of that."

Room praised his teammates but cheekily suggested his achievement should be set in stone.

"I'm really proud of the team also, because again, we did it with the team," he said. "I make the saves, but we fought as a team, also the players who came in.

"But I think I need a statue in Curacao, I think now."