Paris 2024 hockey: All results, as Netherlands clinch first men's Olympic gold since 2000 with shootout win over Germany

In a match that came as close as it gets, Netherlands men’s hockey defeated Germany 1(3)-1(1) in an overtime shootout on Thursday, 8 August at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 to clinch their first Olympic gold medal in the men’s competition since Sydney 2000.

It was almost as if they had a home-team advantage, as a sea of orange flooded the stadium with support for the Dutch, making for an electric atmosphere as the athletes steadily inched their way closer to the gold.

"The Olympics is, for me, the only way to really write sports history,” said Netherlands head coach Jeroen Delmee, who was a player on the gold medal team in 2000.

“This is such a big event. Fighting in eight games, every game, to reach the final, and then winning the final … It's not even a medal, but for me it is the history you write as a team. And we did it like this. It's unbelievable."

After a scoreless first three quarters began teasing the idea of overtime, Netherlands’ Thierry Brinkman was the first to find the back of the net in the 46th minute, before the Dutch tried to solidify their win with three more shots on German goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg, but found no success.

The Germans, who beat the Netherlands when they faced off earlier this week in pool play, were not going to let them run away with the win that easily and evened the score four minutes later with Thies Prinz’ penalty-corner goal.

At 1-1 with 10 minutes left on the clock, the tension in Yves-du-Manoir Stadium was palpable as both teams desperately fought for one more goal in regulation time.

But the clock ran down and the nervous energy grew as shootouts started with two saved shots on either side, until Netherland’s Brinkman broke the dry spell for the second time of the night, landing the first overtime goal on Danneberg.

That was the beginning of the end for the Germans, who missed the next shot to put the Dutch in the lead before they ran away with it with two more goals, leaving Germany to settle for the silver.

The orange audience exploded as the players were overcome with the overwhelming emotions that are felt by the few that can pull off victory after victory at the Olympics, the pinnacle of sport.

With emotions just as strong, but on the other side of the spectrum, Germany’s Mats Grambusch said: “[I'm] empty, devastated.

“In the end, we lose, and it feels horrible right now."

But the Germans still accomplished the incredible feat of making it to the gold-medal match and will not go home empty handed, but with Olympic silver medals.

Earlier in the day, India clinched the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Spain, coming back from a one-point deficit after the Europeans scored first with a successful penalty stroke in the 18th minute.

Hockey: Men's final podium

Gold: Netherlands

Silver: Germany

Bronze: India

Find full results on Olympics.com.