Five things we learned from the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup

The 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup has come to an end with Germany lifting the trophy for the third time in history. It’s been a long wait for the newly crowned champions of the world, who last claimed the title 17 years ago, however a penalty win over Belgium in the final saw them once again take home a memorable gold medal. 

As another thrilling tournament in India comes to an end, Olympics.com looks back on the lessons learned from the FIH Hockey World Cup, with Paris 2024 just 18 months away.

Five big takeaways from the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup

1 - Comeback kings Germany prove you can never give up

Who would have seen this result coming when reigning champions Belgium were leading 2-0 after just 11 minutes of the Hockey World Cup final had been played? And yet another thrilling comeback for Germany saw them pull the scores level by the 41st minute and even lead the game in regulation time until a last-minute goal from Belgium’s Tom Boon sent the match to penalties. 

Germany have shown immense resolve in this tournament, first overturning a 0-2 deficit in the quarterfinals against England before repeating the feat once again against Australia in the semis. It is without a doubt this ‘never say die’ attitude that saw them crowned world champions for the first time since their back-to-back triumphs of 2002 and 2006. 

Of course, Belgium and Germany had history in this tournament, having been pooled together in the group stage. Once again the scoresheets were level after regulation time in the final, following their 2-2 draw earlier in the competition. 

Germany now join the small list of countries that have won three World Cups (Australia and the Netherlands have also won three) and sit just one behind Pakistan in the table of most wins in history. 

And with the Olympics in France the next big tournament on the horizon, they will now be considered the team to beat, even if that means ensuring they stay beaten when they look down and out. 

2 - Belgium may have been dethroned but will still be strong favourites at Paris 2024

Belgium’s quest to become the first-ever country to win back-to-back Olympic and World Cup titles now comes to an end, but that doesn’t mean they can be counted out in any way, shape or form at Paris 2024. 

While the biggest prize finally eluded them, the Belgian team’s third final in a row shows they will still be considered a huge threat at the Olympics. 

Tom Boon proved to be one of the most potent weapons in the Belgian armory, with eight goals leaving him just one behind Australia’s Jeremy Hayward in the top goalscorers list. At 33 years old, the next Olympics could be Boon’s last, so there’s little doubt he will be in the hunt for more silverware when the Games take place in Paris.

3 - Free-scoring Netherlands continue to be one of the most potent attacking forces in hockey

This World Cup saw an average of 5.66 goals per game, and no small part of that is down to the exploits of bronze medal winners the **Netherlands who ended the tournament with 32 goals from their six games. **

Four of the team scored over three goals in India, including Jip Janssen (eight), Thierry Brinkman (seven), Koen Bijen (five) and Teun Beins (three). 

But as prolific as the Netherlands were in front of goal, they were just as miserly in defence. The men in orange went through the entire group stage without conceding (22 goals scored, zero conceded) and ended the tournament having let in only four goals in total. 

While settling for third place will be a tough pill to swallow, the Dutch team can take much confidence from a display in which they were only beaten once in the entire tournament, with the loss coming on penalties after a 2-2 draw against Belgium in the semi-finals. 

4 - Small margins show Australia can still beat anyone on their day

Another team who will be licking their wounds is Australia, with the Kookaburras exiting in the World Cup semifinals for the second edition in a row.  

The Aussies certainly had their chances to advance to the gold-medal match, but an extraordinary second-half comeback by Germany that saw them draw level twice when behind before scoring the winner in the 60th minute, leaves much to improve upon before Paris 2024. 

Australia last won the World Cup in 2014, after lifting the trophy in the edition before in 2010. However, their performance in India, as well as their silver medal run at Tokyo 2020, leaves the team in a strong position to kick on at the upcoming Olympic Games. 

Having lost out in the last two major tournaments by the finest of margins (a 3-4 loss in the semis of this World Cup and a penalties loss to Belgium at Tokyo 2020), the Aussies will be hoping that they get the rub of the green in Paris and win a trophy that has eluded them since Athens 2004.

5 - Penalties may well prove decisive - so time to get practicing 

After the drama of penalties in the gold-medal match of Tokyo 2020, **the final of this year’s World Cup was once again decided from the spot. **

This time, it was Germany who reigned supreme, beating a Belgian side that had won the last Olympics via a penalty shootout. 

However, it wasn’t just in the final that penalties proved decisive. **Belgium’s semifinal win against the Netherlands and Germany’s quarterfinal victory against England both came about after gripping penalty shootouts that could have gone either way. **

In fact, you have to go back to 2014 to see either an Olympic or World Cup final that has been decided in regulation time when Australia beat the Netherlands 6-1 in The Hague. 

It may well be a sign that teams will need to prioritise training for penalties if the same trend continues at Paris 2024.