While the Pro League which preceded the World Cup was a marker on where the sides stood in terms of team building and form, Germany’s numbers made for grim reading. It was a team in transition with a heavy influx of youth. But discount the Germans at your peril.

After Andre Henning took charge, it won the World Cup, reached an Olympic final and made two Euro summit clashes, winning one. And 2026 was to be no different. It overcame heavyweights Belgium, Australia and Argentina before getting the better of Spain in an attritional WC final.

Their faith was repaid when three of five junior World Cup-winning players from 2023 and 2025 contributed two goals apiece, including Michel Struthoff, who scored the winner in the title decider. Germany’s fourth star on the shirt was created with a robust defensive structure, limiting its rivals to just seven goals in the entire tournament. It was a marked difference from the Pro League campaign, where it let in many.

While Spain was the only side to inflict a loss on Germany, it couldn’t get over the line when it mattered the most. Max Caldas’ Red Sticks lost rhythm in possession, which had served it so well in previous outings, including the shock 4-3 semifinal win over co-host Netherlands.

For Netherlands, a moment of madness from Duco Telgenkamp tilted the last four-tie in favour of the Spaniards, undoing what had been a rip-roaring campaign until then. The attacker was issued a 10-minute suspension, a period in which Spain scored thrice to silence a partisan crowd in Amstelveen.

Argentina, much like its football team, scrapped and clawed while also displaying some breathtaking attacking hockey to finish as the tournament top-scorer with 22 goals. England, tipped as a dark horse, was involved in the ‘match of the tournament’ contender in a second-round game against the Dutch. But the thrilling 2-2 draw was not enough to take it through to the final phase.

Co-host Belgium, which was ranked No. 1, disappointed after failing to beat any of the top-eight ranked oppositions. The less said the better about India that came eighth. The World Cup was marred by off-field scandals before it finished with an embarrassing moment where 12 players were on the pitch.

Relevance for World Cup classification matches is a matter of perspective. For this Indian women’s team, which suffered a heart-breaking exit in its push for a semifinal berth, a best-ever finish since the inaugural 1974 edition was at stake.

Having picked itself up to go again, this side earned itself a small piece of history by finishing fifth with a 3-1 win over Germany here at the Wagener Stadion on Thursday.

It was a counter-attacking clinic as goals from Ishika and Navneet Kaur in the second half subdued the world no. 5 ranked side.

Starting the tournament ranked ninth, Sjoerd Marijne’s India has exceeded expectations in the Netherlands, pulling off draws against China (ranked 4th), England (7th) and Australia (8th) to add to this result.

It will now head into the Asian Games next month, confident of challenging for the gold.

After a passive start, Germany came alive in the second quarter, making multiple circle entries without threatening India’s goal. But it was India which shaded Germany for attempts on goal, when Navneet’s powerful backhanded drive drew a save from Finja Starck. Salima Tete was alive to a couple of rebounds but Starck kicked them both out.

Germany continued to dominate possession for majority of the game, but the Indian defense, which included tournament debutant, Lalthantluangi, held firm.

Then, against the run of play, India opened the scoring after Neha slipped a through ball for Ishika, who composed herself before lifting the ball past Starck for her first World Cup goal.

India found plenty of joy through Germany’s centre, repeatedly catching its defense out on the counter. After having gone three games without a goal, India suddenly scored three in the space of four minutes.

After going cold from PCs in previous outings, Navneet struck from India’s second short corner before she added another with a cool flick into the roof of the net from another turnover.

Germany persevered in the last stretch with Savita Punia needing to pull off a couple of key saves, but she couldn’t keep out Lynn Krings’ effort with 67 seconds left on the clock.

The result: India 3 (Ishika 42, Navneet Kaur 43-PC, 46) bt Germany 1 ( Lynn Krings 58).

The lack of field goals remains an area of concern for the Indian men’s team, which is staring at a World Cup exit, after another disappointing result against a top-ranked side.

On Saturday (August 22, 2026), India lost 3-1 to co-host Netherlands in the second round, leaving it at the bottom of the Group E table.

According to head coach Craig Fulton, that was the “best we’ve played stats-wise” against Netherlands in a major tournament, but the result has left the group “bitterly disappointed.”

India scored from another Penalty Corner, but came up short in field play. It has scored just three field goals in the tournament with two of them coming in the win over World no. 12 Pakistan. Senior forward Mandeep Singh, who is yet to open his account, has had a tough outing.

“We played a good game with a good game plan. I thought we needed to score a goal in the first half. We created one or two really good chances but it wasn’t to be. When we came out in the third quarter [we were] okay. It was still fine,” Fulton told The Hindu after the loss.

“We just couldn’t connect enough in the D to try and get a field goal. I think we won probably four [six] PCs and scored one. But [in] field chances, we needed the field goal. That was what we were pushing for,” he added.

Although India conceded two counter-attacking goals, which included an error from midfielder Manpreet Singh for the third goal, the South African refused to point fingers at any players for the goals conceded.

“I think I can’t fault anyone’s effort and approach and attitude to doing what needed to be done today. It was a really, really tough game. I thought we did really well. We just needed to get ahead,” said Fulton.

Fulton revealed that skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who scored the lone goal from a Penalty Corner, played through a back injury, which had to be managed. Right after Harmanpreet scored, he went off the field to receive treatment, during which time, Netherlands re-established its two-goal lead.

“We’ll see now afterwards. He had a stiff back. He rested in training but it wasn’t serious. and then he played and he scored. But at the same time, we have to look after the human first and make sure he’s okay,” said Fulton.

To pull off a monumental turnaround and make the semifinals, India will need a victory of four goals or more against Argentina, while Netherlands also needs to beat England on Monday.

India head coach Craig Fulton has called for his men to refocus ahead of what he calls a ‘new tournament’ in the second round of the men’s World Cup, starting against Netherlands on Saturday.

India’s mixed start in the Pool stage led to a second place finish behind England, which has left it needing two wins to give itself a good chance of qualifying for the semifinals.

“We’re a little bit behind the eight ball because we didn’t take the three points through. But at this level as well, any team can beat any team,” Fulton told The Hindu.

“That doesn’t mean we’re out. We have to take care of our two games. We’ll just go one game at a time and let’s see what happens.”

A deficient defensive structure and unforced errors leaving it open to transitions have proved costly. India has let in eight goals, which is the worst defensive record among the top eight teams left in the tournament.

Fulton emphasised on getting the pressing right and its counterattacks with upcoming matches against two of the dangerous sides, Netherlands and Argentina.

India’s recent meetings against these sides yielded just one 3-2 win over the Dutch, while losing the other three with an aggregate scoreline of 4-15.

“It’s a game [vs Pakistan] that is steeped in history, where we need to take more structure into that game, and it got away from us a little bit.

“But at the same time, we played well offensively and then let them back in the game…Now, we have a totally different opposition, that if we give them too many opportunities, yes, they will punish you.

“We’re playing well going forward, and we need to keep improving on the defence and keeping the confidence in going forward. So the press, the counter, is where we need to just keep hammering,” said the South African.

While Harmanpreet Singh’s form makes India a lethal Penalty Corner outfit, the three goals from field play rank it ninth in the 16-team tournament.

On India’s lack of field goals, Fulton said, “It’s a [matter of] small composure. They play a certain way, and one team plays man-to-man, one team plays zonal, which puts seven players, eight players in the D.

“That’s a different approach to playing if there were three in the D. We’ve got different plans for both teams, but at the same time, we’ve got to implement our plan.”

There is no ‘away’ World Cup if you are an Indian team. You will be hard-pressed to go to a corner of the globe without running into an Indian and Amstelveen is no exception. The Amsterdam suburb, one of the World Cup co-hosts, is home to more Indians than any other nationality.

For skipper Harmanpreet Singh, the game against Pakistan felt like ‘playing in India’ as he was serenaded by the large number of expats after his two goals in the 5-3 win on Wednesday.

India’s Manpreet Singh celebrates with fans after the World Cup Field Hockey pool D match between India and Pakistan in Amstelveen, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
AP

But admiration also adds pressure to perform as India chases its first world title in 51 years. Despite securing qualification to the second round, India has underwhelmed.

The Men in Saffron have conceded eight goals — joint-fourth worst defensive record, while exhibiting a drop in intensity and lack of control while defending leads.

All the while, India has played only one of the tournament’s top sides. India’s next opponents Netherlands and possibly Argentina will not extend that courtesy.

Against world No. 3 England, India crumbled under a relentless man-to-man press in the third quarter to surrender its advantage, before losing 4-2.

With no carryover points from that game, India will enter the next round with a mountain to climb.

In its final Pool game, Indian midfielders Hardik Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad’s errors on the ball, played a part in two of Pakistan’s goals. Wales, too, found itself in promising positions but India came out unscathed.

Head coach Craig Fulton, who preaches ‘defending to win’ mantra, will be well aware that these repeated errors cannot be the bedrock for a sustained title challenge.

“100% defence,” stressed Harmanpreet when asked what needs improving. He also called for his side to cut out ‘silly mistakes’ while managing possession inside its own 25 metres.

The biggest positive has been Harmanpreet’s return to form which has boosted India’s Penalty Corner conversion. India has scored the most goals (6) from PCs with an efficiency of 50%.

Forward Abhishek Nain provided much-needed individual brilliance in field play, adding two goals against Pakistan. However, his senior forward Mandeep Singh is yet to open his account with the decision-making inside the final 23-yards found wanting.

Abhishek was frank with his assessment, too, stating, “We need to improve because if we play with this kind of connection in the next few matches, I don’t think we will be able to score.”

Yet Fulton’s protection of his players will only stretch so far, with the second round promising to be make-or-break.

An India-Pakistan clash in any sport evokes heightened passion. For the players, the marquee match is all about keeping emotions in check while focusing on the task at hand.

Their resolve will be tested once again at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup where the arch-rivals will face each other in a Pool D game on August 19. India has held the wood over Pakistan, thanks to the twin victories in the FIH Pro League last month.

India skipper Harmanpreet Singh felt that the fixture will be “intense”, but called on his men to keep it strictly business. “There will be a lot of drama. We are excited to be in the same pool, and to play on such a big platform. But everyone knows their responsibilities and priorities. We have to focus on the match and play. We have to be mentally calm and focus on our task,” Harmanpreet told The Hindu on the last day of the camp at SAI here on Thursday.

The 30-year-old is confident that India will break the World Cup jinx and clinch a medal at the global tournament for the first time since 1975. “At Tokyo 2020, we won an Olympic medal after 41 years. This time, our target is to win the World Cup,” he said.

Speaking about the much-debated move to replace the iconic blue national-team jersey with a saffron one, the captain said: “We just played a training match with the orange jersey. I think that the new jersey looks good.”

While there has been a lot of talk on the Indian men’s hockey team’s composition for the upcoming World Cup and the Asian Games, not many have spoken about the same for the women. In fact, their schedule is much tighter, with the Nations Cup also scheduled in June before the two big events.

The Nations Cup is equally important for the Indian women to try and earn back its spot in the FIH Pro league. Add to it the fact that coach Sjoerd Marijne, returning after five years to take charge in very different conditions and the challenge becomes manifold. Marijne, however, is unperturbed by it all.

“It was the same in 2018, and we also had the Commonwealth Games back then, so we had four tournaments. And we worked from tournament to tournament with the Asian Games for us being most important but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to do well at the others,” Marijne said during an interaction with select media on Friday.

“We’re using them to be at our best but I believe we can perform in every tournament and it doesn’t matter for the next one. We played the quarterfinals at the 2018 World Cup but then we also did really good at the Asian Games, winning silver. So that’s the way we’re going to do.”

The recent four-match outing against Argentina was important for the Dutchman to assess the players in competition and Marijne, while admitting there were quite a few areas to work on, was optimistic about the improvements in the side.

“I think we are moving in the right direction. I’m not talking only about winning or losing, because I didn’t play any penalty corner variations. We were training different kind of systems and I think the progress in that has been really positive.

“For us, the important thing was the benchmark set by Argentina. And you know now what is required to be able to play against the World No. 2 and be successful. The good thing was that we improved every match. And they struggled sometimes with our speed, that is something I’m quite happy with,” he explained.

Tim White.

While Marijne has a problem of too many tournaments, the newly-appointed junior women’s coach Tim White has little to no international assignment through the year, giving him enough time to understand and work on the team.

With Indian women’s hockey players often straddling both the senior and junior teams, White and Marijne have taken to working together during national camps to build a synergy between the sides.

“I accepted the job because I always saw India as having a lot of potential to be a really world-class team and the challenge of helping the team get to that point and also supporting the seniors is exciting,” White said in his first media interaction since taking charge.

“For any team to have sustainable success, you have to have a good collaboration between the senior and junior programmes. I’m already working with Sjoerd, we’re in the same environment, we share a lot.”

White, however, did admit that the group’s fitness was below-par. “I’ve observed that the group is lower physically than where I was in Belgium or even in Australia.

“We are going to have to work hard to be able to compete with the best junior teams and also have a flow of athletes going into the senior programme. I need to make sure I help the group understand what level of intensity they need to train at. But it’s a challenge in India for sure.”