Located in the south Caribbean Sea, Curaçao is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Designed by Martin Den Dulk, the country’s flag was adopted on July 2nd 1984,.
The blue symbolizes the sky and sea, and the yellow stripe, the sunshine that bathes the island. The two stars represent the islands Curacao and Klein Curacao.
The words of the original ‘Anthem of Curaçao’ were written by Friar Radulphus in 1898. Until a new melody was written for it in 1930, the words were sung to the tune of the Dutch National anthem. In 1978 the lyrics were rewritten, as the original lyrics were seen as a bit ‘colonial’.
Flag Day is celebrated with official ceremonies and cultural events at Plaza Brion and the Village of Barber.
As Ecuador forward Enner Valencia raced through on Curacao’s goal inside the opening three minutes, the outcome seemed inevitable.
About 10 yards out and with just the keeper to beat, he looked certain to score. It would give Curacao a mountain to climb – and, as it did in the 7-1 defeat by Germany in their World Cup opener, could well set the tone for what was to come.
But goalkeeper Eloy Room anticipated where Valencia’s shot was headed, stooped low to his left and clawed the ball around the post. It was an improbable, barely believable save.
And the tone was, indeed, set.
By full-time, BBC Sport pundit and former Arsenal defender Martin Keown was joking a calculator might be needed to tot up the number of times Room had bailed his team out.
Yet it was Ecuador who were left counting the cost of their missed chances as World Cup debutants Curacao celebrated their first-ever point in the tournament.
Room, the 37-year-old Miami FC keeper, produced a remarkable and record-equalling performance, making 15 saves to keep his country level and eventually secure a goalless draw which will live long in the memory of the island nation.
Since records began in 1966, no goalkeeper has made more stops in 90 minutes of World Cup action, according to Opta.
Only Tim Howard has made as many in a single game but, unlike Room, he failed to keep a clean sheet after conceding twice in extra-time for the USA against Belgium in 2014.
Room joked after the 0-0 draw that Howard would have been “sweating at home” watching the game and his performance means he “needs a statue in Curacao”.
“Take a bow, Room,” added Keown on BBC One. “Absolutely magnificent.
“The number of saves, you were almost getting a calculator out at the end of the game to count them up.
“It just became a shopping list of saves. His reactions were first class. He seemed destined to keep a clean sheet all night.”
It was a performance that inspired Room’s country to their biggest-ever result.
Eloy Room’s incredible goalkeeping helped Curacao make history in a goalless draw in Group E match in Kansas City.
Published On 21 Jun 202621 Jun 2026
Goalkeeper Eloy Room was Curacao’s hero against Ecuador, keeping out a barrage of shots to help the tiny Caribbean nation claim their first-ever World Cup point in a goalless draw that keeps alive their hopes of reaching the knockout phase.
Ecuador, who finished second in South American qualifying, had 28 shots, including 15 on target, but Room stood firm in an astonishing display in Kansas City on Saturday.
His 15 saves are the most on record, since 1966, by any goalkeeper in a World Cup match that did not feature extra time.
World Cup debutants Curacao, the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the tournament, slumped to a 7-1 defeat against Germany in their opening match but restored pride in the American Midwest.
Ecuador fans turned the Arrowhead Stadium, the home of NFL team Kansas City Chiefs, yellow, hugely outnumbering supporters of Curacao.
But Curacao had royalty on their side in the form of Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. The island is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Out of their 26-strong squad, managed by vastly experienced Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, 25 were born in the Netherlands, and most play their football there.
The match started at a fizzing pace.
Ecuador seemed certain to open the scoring in the third minute when former West Ham forward Enner Valencia burst through the middle, but Room tipped the ball around the post.
Sherel Floranus fired over at the other end as Curacao showed their pace on the break.
Valencia failed to beat Room from close range before Jordy Alcivar had an effort as Ecuador continued to dominate possession.
The South American team ended the first half with 65 percent of possession but nothing to show for their dominance.
They went close to breaking the deadlock just before the hour mark, but Room kept out a Gonzalo Plata header, before a flurry of Curacao chances.
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia heads towards the goal as Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room, right, defends [Reed Hoffmann/AP Photo]
Ecuador, more than 50 places higher than Curacao in the FIFA rankings, looked increasingly frazzled as they pressed for a goal.
As the match neared its end, chances continued to come thick and fast, but Room stood firm.
Ecuador substitute Angelo Preciado mis-hit a cross that bounced off the top of the crossbar and went behind.
The Curacao players swarmed around Room at the end of the match, celebrating an extraordinary point.
Earlier, four-time champions Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in Toronto, ensuring their qualification for the round of 32. Curacao’s draw ensures Germany will top the group.
Ecuador will play Germany on Thursday, while Curacao take on Ivory Coast.
Curacao fans celebrate after the match [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room equals the record for most saves in a World Cup match, as Dick Advocaat’s side earn their first ever point in the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador at the Kansas City Stadium.
