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 in the scoring charts.
The men’s squad features a promising mix of debutants and Olympians with captain David Ames and Ward representing Team GB for the third time while Jacob Draper, Rupert Shipperley, Phil Roper, Ollie Payne, Jack Waller and Liam Sanford have been selected for their second Games. The squad contains seven players making their Olympic debut including Gareth Furlong and rising star Conor Williamson, who both debuted for GB in this season’s FIH Hockey Pro League. The team is coached by vastly experienced, highly respected South African Paul Revington, who has held coaching roles with South Africa men, Malaysia men as well as two spells with the England and GB set-up. Fit, fearless and supremely talented, Great Britain have proven capable of not just competing, but beating the very best teams in the world.
Head Coach Paul Revington: “We have a team traveling out to Paris who enter the Games with a good level of form and consistency of performance over the past several months. The selected players and wider squad have all continued with preparation and final touches in the last few days of training at Bisham. We are ready to get started and I know the group will enjoy getting to the Olympic village before focusing again and giving their best on the field of play.”
Spain
Renowned for their flair, skill, and attacking prowess, the Spanish men’s team is among the most talented and unpredictable squads in the world. The Red Sticks have regularly produced sides that are capable of fighting for the biggest honours in the game, a fact proven by five silver medals at Olympic or World Cup level, not to mention two European championships and a Champions Trophy title.
Their team boasts exceptional talents such as elegant captain Marc Miralles, seasoned midfielder Alvaro Iglesias – Spain’s most experienced player with 230 caps – and Joaquin Menini, a player who won Olympic gold with Argentina at Rio 2016. Leading them is the highly respected head coach and former Argentina international Max Caldas, who previously achieved remarkable success with the Netherlands’ women’s and men’s teams, guiding the former to World Cup and Olympic victories and the latter to two European Championship titles.
Spain secured a berth at Paris at the 2024 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier on home soil in Valencia, reaching the semi-finals unbeaten before goals from Rafael Vilallonga and Miralles earned a 2-0 victory over Ireland to secure their Olympic ticket. Despite an eight place finish out of nine in the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League, the combination of supremely gifted athletes and world class coach makes Spain a dangerous opponent for all.
Team Captain Álvaro Iglesias: “We have had a great preparation for the Olympics and we are very confident on our possibilities. We have to go and play to win every game, which is not the same as winning every game”
France
Host nation France are taking part in their first Olympic men’s hockey competition in 52 years, with their last appearance coming at the 1972 Olympiad in Munich, Germany. Their return to the Olympic stage has been a long time coming, and while their ticket to Paris 2024 was granted by virtue of being hosts, the team’s recent progress ensures that the home favourites will be fiercely competitive. In 2018, Les Bleus arrived in Bhubaneswar, India for their first FIH Men’s World Cup for 28 years. In the same pool as Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand, many expected them to be on the first plane out of India. However, after suffering a narrow opening match defeat against the Black Sticks, Les Bleus achieved a set of results which would see them go all the way to the World Cup quarter finals. A draw with higher-ranked Spain was followed by a stunning 5-3 victory over Argentina, sealing their place in the knock-out stages of the competition, where they beat China to reach the quarter-finals before their magnificent run was brought to an end by Australia.
While their 13th placement at the 2023 FIH Men’s World Cup was below expectations, France – now coached by legendary former player Frederic Soyez – have regularly proven themselves capable of mixing it with the very best. They registered stunning victories against India, Argentina and South Africa in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021-22, finished fifth in the 2023 EuroHockey Nations Championships and grabbed the silver medal in this year’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup, where penalty corner ace Victor Charlet finished joint top scorer with seven goals. Towering defender Charlet and outstanding attacking talent Timothée Clément are likely to be key players for France in their quest for glory at Paris 2024.
Team Captain Viktor Lockwood: “We want to take advantage of this incredible event that is the Olympic Games at home to promote hockey in France. And for that, it requires good performances on the pitch. We have prepared like never before to create the feat so we will give 100% on the field to make our dream of a medal come true!”
South Africa
South Africa have been the dominant force in African hockey for the past three decades, being crowned continental champions on eight occasions and winning various Olympic and World Cup qualification events. Their players regularly compete in the top club leagues in the world, representing teams in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, England and beyond.
While success on the global stage has been rarer, they have proven with regularity that they are capable of matching – and occasionally beating – the very best in the world. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 they claimed a stunning 4-3 victory over hockey powerhouse Germany in the pool phase. The following year, the team stormed to glory in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2022, played in Potchefstroom, with team captain Dayaan Cassiem scoring twice in the competition final as the hosts recorded a 4-3 triumph over Ireland. The team were back in Nations Cup action earlier this year, this time finishing third behind New Zealand and France. South Africa booked their Olympic ticket at the African Hockey Road To Paris 2024 qualification event by winning all five of their matches, scoring 38 goals and conceding just twice.
The outrageously gifted Cassiem brothers – captain Dayaan and younger brother Mustaphaa – are arguably the stars of this current South Africa team, but there are plenty of others capable of making an impact. Striker Tevin Kok and Nqobile Ntuli are both reliable sources of goals, while Mathew Guise-Brown is a threat from penalty corner situations. The team is coached by Cheslyn Gie, who guided the team to their Nations Cup success in 2022, just months after stepping up from assistant coach.
Team Captain Dayaan Cassiem: “We look at these Games as an opportunity to make sure we can show after our training camp and hard work that we can compete. We are playing for the badge on our chest. Our expectation is to just take it game by game and focus on what we can do more than the opposition. Final message is that we are here to play for something bigger than ourselves and to make the country proud.”
