Germany relied on junior World Cup stars and a tight defence to win the Hockey World Cup, while India finished eighth amid off-field scandals and on-field blunders.
Entering the tournament following a grim Pro League campaign, a transitional German squad backed its youth to secure the Hockey World Cup title. Under head coach Andre Henning, who has now led the team to a World Cup title, an Olympic final, and two Euro summit clashes, Germany beat heavyweights Belgium, Australia, and Argentina before taking down Spain in an attritional final to add a fourth star to their shirt.
Germany's reliance on youth paid huge dividends, with three of five players from their 2023 and 2025 junior World Cup-winning sides scoring two goals each. Among them was Michel Struthoff, who netted the winning goal in the final. Germany's victory was anchored by a robust defensive setup that conceded just seven goals across the entire tournament.
Spain, coached by Max Caldas, was the only side to beat Germany in the tournament but lost rhythm in the final. The Red Sticks had reached the summit clash following a shock 4-3 semifinal win over co-host Netherlands in Amstelveen, where a 10-minute suspension for Dutch attacker Duco Telgenkamp allowed Spain to score three crucial goals.
Among other teams, Argentina finished as the tournament's top scorer with 22 goals, while England missed out on the final phase despite playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw with the Netherlands. Co-host Belgium, ranked No. 1, failed to win against any top-eight opposition. India endured a forgettable campaign, finishing eighth after being plagued by off-field scandals before closing out with an embarrassing incident featuring 12 players on the pitch.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Hockey. Photo courtesy The Hindu Hockey.