Wavre, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Germany retained the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup title after edging Spain 1-0 in a tightly contested final at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium, on Sunday.
Michel Struthoff scored the decisive goal late in the third quarter, rounding Spain goalkeeper Luis Calzado before finishing from close range. The victory gave Germany their fourth men’s World Cup title, taking them level with the record for most titles.
Spain, appearing in a World Cup final for the first time, enjoyed more possession and created the greater number of scoring opportunities. Germany, however, remained disciplined defensively and repeatedly frustrated the Spanish attack.
Germany made an aggressive start on the counter, with Thies Prinz, Christopher Ruhr and Paul-Philipp Kaufmann combining to win a penalty corner inside the opening 90 seconds. Calzado denied Benedikt Schwarzhaupt’s drag-flick to keep Spain level.
Spain gradually found their rhythm and began connecting their midfield with the forwards through the centre. Borja Lacalle came close with a tomahawk from the edge of the circle, but Germany goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg punched the attempt away.
Spain were at their strongest in the third quarter, earning three penalty corners. However, Pepe Cunill and captain Marc Miralles could not convert their chances. Germany defender Teo Hinrichs also made an important first rush to disrupt a Spanish attack despite taking a blow to his shin.
Germany eventually capitalised on one of their few attacking openings. Hannes Muller collected a loose ball at the top of the circle and sent a reverse pass towards Struthoff, who had moved towards the byline. Struthoff rounded Calzado and fired into the net to put Germany ahead.
Spain pushed hard for an equaliser in the final quarter. With less than four minutes remaining, Calzado was replaced to give Spain an additional outfield player, but Germany’s defence held firm to secure the championship.
The defeat extended Spain’s wait for their first men’s World Cup title. They had previously lost finals in 1971 and 1998.
For Germany coach Andre Henning, the triumph was particularly significant after a major squad transition. Only nine members of the team that won the 2023 title returned for the 2026 campaign, but the Honamas once again produced their best hockey when it mattered most.
Earlier on Sunday, Argentina defeated the Netherlands 2-1 to claim the men’s bronze medal.
The result came less than 24 hours after Argentina’s women’s team also defeated the Netherlands in Amstelveen. Las Leonas won the women’s final 3-1 in a shootout after the match had ended 1-1, securing the women’s World Cup title.
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