New Delhi, August 30: Germany secured its fourth title by defeating Spain 1-0 in the final of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, held in Wavre, Belgium, on Sunday.
Germany first won the title in 2002, followed by another victory in 2006. They claimed their third title in 2023 by overcoming Belgium.
The final match at the Belfius Hockey Arena was fiercely contested, with the first two quarters ending without any goals. The only goal of the match came in the third quarter, scored by hero Struthoff Michel in the 44th minute.
Spain, making its first World Cup final appearance since 1998, maintained possession for long stretches. They had several opportunities but found it challenging to breach the German defense.
The “Red Sticks” kept the pressure on in the final quarter. In a last-ditch effort, they pulled their goalkeeper with less than four minutes remaining, hoping for a miracle, but Germany denied them any chance to score.
Earlier on Sunday, Argentina defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in the third-place match. The first two quarters were goalless, but Domen Tomas opened the scoring for Argentina in the 41st minute. The fourth quarter saw two goals, with Floris Midendorp equalizing for the Netherlands in the 49th minute. However, Matias Rey secured Argentina’s victory with a goal in the 59th minute.
On Saturday, Argentina’s women’s team, “Las Leonas,” also claimed the title, defeating the Netherlands 3-1 in a thrilling shootout after a 1-1 draw.
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