Eloy Room makes 15 saves as Curaçao draws Ecuador

Goalkeeper Eloy Room recorded a World Cup record 15 saves in Curaçao’s 0‑0 draw with Ecuador on 21 June 2026 in Kansas City, becoming the keeper with the most saves in a 90‑minute World Cup match. The performance highlighted the Caribbean side’s resilience despite the goalless result. Room, a Nijmegen native, made his professional debut on 8 March 2009 for Vitesse, where he amassed 189 appearances. He later added 22 matches for Go Ahead Eagles and five for PSV before reaching his career peak at age 37. In his 72nd cap for Curaçao, the 15 saves set a World Cup record for a 90‑minute game. The feat propelled him toward a surge in Instagram followers, echoing the rapid rise of Cape Verde keeper Vozinha, who jumped from 50,000 to 15 million followers after eight saves against Spain. King Willem‑Alexander and Queen Máxima, accompanied by daughter Ariane, first watched the Netherlands‑Sweden 5‑1 victory in Houston at 12:00 local time. They then flew to Kansas City to see Curaçao begin against Ecuador at 19:00 local time, later joining the dressing‑room celebration with coaches Dick Advocaat and Cor Pot.

Japan crush Tunisia 4-0 to secure first World Cup points

Tahith Chong, the only squad member not born in the Netherlands, expressed his delight at sharing the moment with the monarch. He said, “It was very nice to celebrate this with the king. We keep being amazed. We will now try to reach the next round,” after the match. The Netherlands advance to the round of 16, with their opponent depending on group‑stage placement. If they finish first, they will meet the runner‑up of Group C on 30 June at 03:00; a second‑place finish would pit them against the Group C winner on 29 June at 12:00 local time in Houston.

Ayase Ueda scores twice as Japan beat Tunisia 4-0 at 2026 World Cup

Seven World Cup fixtures are scheduled at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which FIFA refers to as ‘Boston Stadium’. The stadium’s Gillette logo was temporarily covered with shaving soap, a detail that amused officials. Other matches on the same day include Tunisia versus Japan at 06:00, Spain versus Saudi Arabia at 18:00, and Belgium versus Iran at 21:00 local time. The tournament continues to showcase a packed programme across multiple venues.