World Cup | Michel Struthoff’s strike extends Germany’s reign
Germany defeated Spain 1-0 in the final to secure their second consecutive men's field hockey World Cup title. Michel Struthoff scored the decisive goal in a tightly contested match at the Belifus Arena.
Why it matters
The victory cements Germany's status as a dominant force in international field hockey despite a significant team transition.
Winning once was good, Germany had to do it one more time. An efficient German side edged Spain 1-0 in a cagey final to claim a second successive men’s World Cup title on Sunday.
It was by no means a classic at the Belifus Arena. The finalists had derailed co-host Belgium’s journey to a home World championship decider and both boasted the meanest tournament defence. It was reflected in a tightly-fought encounter, making it a hard watch for the supporters dominated by neutrals.
Not that Germany would have minded one bit. As when it mattered, late in the third quarter, Michel Struthoff kept his calm, rounding off the Spain ‘keeper Luis Calzado to put the ball into the net for the decisive goal.
It was a massive achievement for head coach Andre Henning, who oversaw a massive transition with only nine returnees from the 2023 group.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in