23 Jul, 2024 The 12 best teams (men’s and women’s) from around the world are converging in Paris as we countdown to the final few days till the start of the Hockey competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024! Each team comes with the aim of standing on the Olympic podium, while only one can claim the gold medal at the end of the Games. The first obstacle for all teams in the event come in the form of their pool opponents. The 12 teams have been split into two pools of 6 teams each, with the top four teams from each pool qualifying for the quarterfinals. In today’s preview, meet the teams in Pool A of the men’s competition, and find out the unique playing styles they will bring to Paris. Netherlands The Netherlands boasts an impressive Olympic track record, having secured gold at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Games, along with four silver and three bronze medals. However, after finishing sixth at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games – their worst Olympic performance since Los Angeles 1984, where they also placed sixth – the team is determined to remind everyone of their exceptional abilities. Under the guidance of head coach Jeroen Delmee, the celebrated Dutch defender and two-time Olympic gold medallist, the Netherlands have achieved a remarkable consistency in their performance. Since taking charge in late 2021, Delmee has infused the Oranje squad with fresh talent, a bold move that has yielded significant rewards. The team has secured two first-place finishes and one second-place finish in the last three FIH Hockey Pro League seasons, won a World Cup bronze medal in India in early 2023, and claimed their seventh European title by triumphing in the EuroHockey Championships 2023 in Mönchengladbach, Germany, securing their ticket to Paris 2024 in the process. The Netherlands squad selected by Delmee for Paris 2024 has all the attributes needed to be considered serious title contenders. Pirmin Blaak, the FIH Hockey Stars Goalkeeper of the Year for 2023, is without question one of the finest shotstoppers in world hockey, while the skill and creativity of Thierry Brinkman, Jorrit Croon and Seve Van Ass will be potent weapons. Having registered 15 goals in 15 FIH Hockey Pro League matches this season, penalty corner expert Jip Janssen is a prized asset capable of producing match winning moments. Head Coach Jeroen Delmee: “As the reigning European champions, we are of course one of the contenders for an Olympic medal. The field of participants is extremely strong. We have done everything we can to compete for the prizes. We can’t wait to show the world what we are capable of.” Germany With four Olympic gold medals, three World Cup wins and eight European titles, Germany are one of hockey’s true powerhouse nations. Tactically astute and technically superb, Die Honamas have a habit of hitting form ahead of Olympic Games and World Cups, a fact proven by their sensational triumph at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, played on Indian soil in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Their performances in India were hugely impressive, with the team coached by master tactician André Henning – named Coach of the Year in the 2023 FIH Hockey Stars Awards – emerging unbeaten from a pool containing 2018 world champions and reigning Olympic gold medallists Belgium as well as Japan and Korea before producing a string of brilliant performances in the knock-out stages. Their semi-final clash against Oceania giants Australia will live long in the memory, as penalty corner weapon Gonzalo Peillat and rapid attacker Niklas Wellen scored twice in the final 90 seconds give Germany a stunning 4-3 triumph. Wellen and Peillat – the man who fired Argentina to Olympic gold at Rio 2016 – were again on target in the gold medal match against Belgium, as the two European giants played out a wonderful 3-3 draw before Germany snatched their third World Cup crown in a drama-filled shoot-out. Wellen and Peillat are far from being the only superstars in the Germany squad, with brilliant attacker Christopher Rühr, captain Mats Grambusch and Jean-Paul Danneberg – shortlisted for the FIH Hockey Stars Goalkeeper of the Year 2023 award –just some of the many world class players they have at their disposal. At the delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, a narrow defeat at the hands of India in the bronze medal match saw Germany miss out on a podium finish for the first time since Sydney 2000, something they will be keen to rectify at Paris 2024. Head Coach André Henning: “This could be the closest men’s hockey competition at the Olympic Games ever. Among the top 6 teams in the world, pretty much every team has beaten the others recently. So from the quarter-finals onwards, there will be completely open duels at eye level. We know our strengths and know that on a good day we can beat all our rivals. A medal is definitely within our reach – even gold. As you know, I prefer to focus on action goals. If we want to finish on the podium, we have to take control of what we can control so that we can deliver the best performance under the greatest pressure.” Great Britain It has been 36 years since Great Britain’s men last medalled at an Olympic Games, but there is a genuine sense of optimism that their barren run since winning gold at Seoul 1988 could finally end in Paris this year. Team GB have secured podium finishes in the last two editions of the elite FIH Hockey Pro League, being runners up on 2022-23 and finishing third in 2023-24, while four successive wins at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, played in Muscat (OMA) in January, sealed their ticket to Paris before suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Germany in the competition final. Ace striker Sam Ward netted eight times in Muscat to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, his tally being twice as many as his nearest rivals
