Belgium men's national field hockey team
The Belgian national men's field hockey team represents Belgium in international men's field hockey and is controlled by the Royal Belgian Hockey Association, the governing body for field hockey in Belgium.[2][3][4]
| Nickname(s) | Red Lions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Royal Belgian Hockey Association | ||
| Confederation | EHF (Europe) | ||
| Head Coach | Michel van den Heuvel | ||
| Assistant coach(es) | Steve Bayer Shane McLeod Xavier Reckinger | ||
| Manager | Eric Pirenne | ||
| Captain | Félix Denayer | ||
| |||
| FIH ranking | |||
| Current | 2 (16 May 2024)[1] | ||
| Highest | 1 (December 2018 – June 2019, January 2020 – June 2021) | ||
| Lowest | 14 (2003–04) | ||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 15 (first in 1920) | ||
| Best result | 1st (2020) | ||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 7 (first in 1973) | ||
| Best result | 1st (2018) | ||
| European Championship | |||
| Appearances | 18 (first in 1970) | ||
| Best result | 1st (2019) | ||
Medal record | |||
Belgium won the Men's Hockey World Cup in 2018, the European Championship in 2019, the 2020-21 FIH Pro League and the gold medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They also won a silver medal at the 2023 Bhubaneswar & Rourkela and 2016 Rio de Janeiro and a bronze medal at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Olympics. They reached eight semi-finals at the European Championship since 1995, including a third place in 2007 and runners-up in 2013 and 2017.
History
Hockey was introduced in Belgium in 1902. The country's first club was founded in 1904. In 1907, several clubs established the Belgian Hockey Association. Belgium played its first international match against Germany, and was one of the founding members of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Between 1920 and 1978, Belgium appeared in two of the first three World Cups and in eleven out of thirteen Summer Olympics. After the successful early years (before the 1950s) with three times being among the best five at the Summer Olympics, it would last six decades before Belgium reached the international field hockey top again from the 1990s on.
By the early 2000s, the Royal Belgian Hockey Association started to invest heavily in the youth and modernized its structures. In 2007, Belgium won the bronze medal at the European Championship, a first in the country's history. Belgium also qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics, for the first time in 32 years.
Belgium won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, a second medal after Belgium ended third at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. Two years later Belgium won the 2018 Hockey World Cup. It was the first major international title in the country's history. A year later Belgium won the gold medal at the European Championship which was held in Antwerp. They secured their second consecutive olympic medal through reaching the gold medal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Honours
- Summer Olympics
- First place: 2020
- Second place: 2016
- Third place: 1920
- World Cup
- First place: 2018
- Second place: 2023
- European Championship
- First place: 2019
- Second place: 2013, 2017
- Third place: 2007, 2021, 2023
- FIH Pro League
- First place: 2020–21
- Second place: 2019, 2021–22
- Hockey World League
- Second place: 2014-15
- Champions Challenge
- First place: 2011
- Third place: 2005
- Belgian National Sports Merit Award
- Winners: 1959, 2019
- Belgian Sportsteam of the Year
- Winners: 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019
Tournament history
A red box around the year indicates a tournament played within Belgium.
Summer Olympics
Gold Silver Bronze Fourth place
| Olympic Games record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1908 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1912 | Not held | ||||||||
| 1920 | Bronze medal | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 19 | |
| 1924 | Not held | ||||||||
| 1928 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | |
| 1932 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1936 | Group phase | 9th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | |
| 1948 | Group phase | 5th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
| 1952 | Second round | 9th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1956 | Group phase | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| 1960 | Group phase | 11th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | |
| 1964 | Group phase | 11th | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 13 | |
| 1968 | Group phase | 9th | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 9 | |
| 1972 | Group phase | 10th | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 16 | |
| 1976 | Group phase | 9th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 19 | |
| 1980 | did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1984 | |||||||||
| 1988 | |||||||||
| 1992 | |||||||||
| 1996 | |||||||||
| 2000 | |||||||||
| 2004 | |||||||||
| 2008 | Group phase | 9th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 13 | |
| 2012 | Group phase | 5th | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2016 | Runners-up | 2nd | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 11 | |
| 2020 | Champion | 1st | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 13 | |
| 2024 | qualified | ||||||||
| Total | Best: Champion | 16/26 | 82 | 36 | 12 | 34 | 174 | 163 | |
World Cup
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| FIH World Cup record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1971 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1973 | Group phase | 8th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 12 | |
| 1975 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1978 | Group phase | 14th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 18 | |
| 1982 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1986 | |||||||||
| 1990 | |||||||||
| 1994 | Group phase | 11th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 26 | |
| 1998 | did not qualify | ||||||||
| 2002 | Group phase | 14th | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 23 | |
| 2006 | did not qualify | ||||||||
| 2010 | |||||||||
| 2014 | 5th–6th play-off | 5th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 13 | |
| 2018 | Winners | 1st | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 5 | |
| 2023 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 8 | |
| / 2026 | Qualified | ||||||||
| Total | Best: Winners | 7/15 | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 97 | 105 | |
European Championship
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| European Championship Record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1970 | Second round | 5th | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 7 | |
| 1974 | Group phase | 10th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | |
| 1978 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 1983 | Group phase | 8th | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 17 | |
| 1987 | Group phase | 10th | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 21 | |
| 1991 | Group phase | 9th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 | |
| 1995 | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 8 | |
| 1999 | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 28 | |
| 2003 | Group phase | 6th | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 21 | |
| 2005 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 20 | |
| 2007 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 14 | |
| 2009 | Group phase | 5th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 11 | |
| 2011 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 12 | |
| 2013 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | |
| 2015 | Group phase | 5th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 13 | |
| 2017 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2019 | Winners | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 10 | |
| 2023 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 8 | |
| Total | 1 title | 18/19 | 105 | 52 | 16 | 37 | 273 | 236 | |
FIH Pro League
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| FIH Pro League record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 2019 | Runners-up | 2nd | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 57 | 33 | |
| 2020–21 | Winners | 1st | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 40 | 26 | |
| 2021–22 | Runners-up | 2nd | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 52 | 25 | |
| 2022–23 | Third place | 3rd | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 42 | 37 | |
| Total | Best: Winners | 4/4 | 62 | 38 | 10 | 14 | 191 | 121 | |
Hockey World League (defunct)
Winners Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| Hockey World League record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Position | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 2012–13 | 5th | Round 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 6 | |
| Semifinal | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 9 | |||
| Final | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 10 | |||
| 2014–15 | 2nd | Semifinal | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 8 | |
| Final | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 9 | |||
| 2016–17 | 5th | Semifinal | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 8 | |
| Final | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | |||
| Total | Best: 2nd | Final | 42 | 28 | 6 | 8 | 158 | 55 | |
Champions Trophy (defunct)
Winners Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| Champions Trophy record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1978 until 2011 |
did not participate | ||||||||
| 2012 | First round | 5th | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 16 | |
| 2014 | Second round | 8th | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 15 | |
| 2016 | Second round | 5th | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | |
| 2018 | Second round | 5th | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 15 | |
| Total | Best: 5th place | 4/37 | 24 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 53 | 61 | |
Champions Challenge (defunct)
Winners Runners-up Third place Fourth place
| Champions Challenge record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 2001 | 5th–6th play-off | 6th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 18 | |
| 2003 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 2005 | Third place | 3rd | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 17 | |
| 2007 | 5th–6th play-off | 6th | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 21 | |
| 2009 | 7th–8th play-off | 7th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2011 | Winners | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 12 | |
| 2012 | did not participate | ||||||||
| 2014 | |||||||||
| Total | Best: Winners | 5/8 | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 80 | 77 | |
- *Draws include matches decided on a penalty shoot-out.
Team
Current squad
The following 20 players were named on 5 February 2024 for the 2023–24 Men's FIH Pro League matches against Argentina and Germany from 14 to 19 February 2024 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina.[5]
Head coach: Michel van den Heuvel
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Simon Vandenbroucke | 6 June 1999 | 5 | Waterloo Ducks | |
| 43 | GK | Boris Feldheim | 1 April 2002 | 0 | Daring | |
| 5 | DF | Nicolas Poncelet | 19 September 1996 | 36 | Léopold | |
| 15 | DF | Emmanuel Stockbroekx | 23 December 1993 | 193 | Orée | |
| 29 | DF | Maxime Van Oost | 2 December 1999 | 29 | Waterloo Ducks | |
| 41 | DF | Guillaume Van Marcke | 28 December 1999 | 1 | Waterloo Ducks | |
| 45 | DF | Olivier Biekens | 14 May 1999 | 2 | Braxgata | |
| 46 | DF | Maxime Loots | 18 February 1998 | 2 | Braxgata | |
| 17 | MF | Guillermo Hainaut | 8 June 2002 | 4 | Uccle Sport | |
| 28 | MF | Tobias Biekens | 2 January 2001 | 5 | Braxgata | |
| 31 | MF | Arno Van Dessel (Captain) | 3 July 2003 | 27 | Herakles | |
| 33 | MF | Jérémy Wilbers | 6 November 2001 | 0 | Waterloo Ducks | |
| 47 | MF | Charlie Van Damme | 10 August 2001 | 0 | Herakles | |
| 3 | FW | Thibeau Stockbroekx | 20 July 2000 | 27 | Oranje-Rood | |
| 11 | FW | Tommy Willems | 13 April 1997 | 13 | Waterloo Ducks | |
| 14 | FW | Thomas Crols | 11 September 2003 | 1 | Dragons | |
| 35 | FW | Dylan Englebert | 20 April 2000 | 1 | Léopold | |
| 39 | FW | Guillaume Hellin | 28 May 2001 | 1 | Gantoise | |
| 40 | FW | Roman Duvekot | 21 June 2000 | 3 | Gantoise | |
| 49 | FW | Emile Esquelin | 28 August 1999 | 2 | Gantoise | |
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up for the national team in the last 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club | Latest call-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Vincent Vanasch | 21 December 1987 | 275 | Orée | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| GK | Loic Van Doren | 14 September 1996 | 54 | Dragons | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| DF | Loïck Luypaert | 19 August 1991 | 298 | Braxgata | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| DF | Gauthier Boccard | 26 August 1991 | 286 | Léopold | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| DF | Arthur Van Doren | 1 October 1994 | 237 | Bloemendaal | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| DF | Alexander Hendrickx | 6 August 1993 | 180 | Pinoké | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| DF | Arthur De Sloover | 3 May 1997 | 152 | Oranje-Rood | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| MF | John-John Dohmen | 24 January 1988 | 463 | Orée | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| MF | Félix Denayer | 31 January 1990 | 385 | Dragons | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| MF | Victor Wegnez | 25 December 1995 | 157 | Racing | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| MF | Antoine Kina | 13 February 1996 | 110 | Gantoise | 2023 EuroHockey Championship | |
| FW | Tom Boon | 25 January 1990 | 340 | Léopold | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| FW | Florent van Aubel | 25 October 1991 | 289 | Pinoké | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| FW | Tanguy Cosyns | 29 June 1991 | 175 | Racing | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| FW | William Ghislain | 28 July 1999 | 34 | Waterloo Ducks | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| FW | Nelson Onana | 1 March 2000 | 25 | Braxgata | 2024 Olympic Qualifiers | |
| FW | Cédric Charlier | 27 November 1987 | 370 | Racing | 2023 EuroHockey Championship | |
| FW | Nicolas De Kerpel | 23 March 1993 | 112 | Herakles | 2023 EuroHockey Championship | |
| FW | Sébastien Dockier | 28 December 1989 | 243 | Pinoké | v. Spain, 3 July 2023 | |
See also
References
- "FIH Outdoor World Hockey Rankings". FIH. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- Jonckheere, Karien. "Newly crowned hockey champs Belgium's SA connection". SuperSport. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- "Craig Fulton helps guide Belgium to maiden hockey World Cup". www.irishtimes.com. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- "Fulton's pride shines as the Red Lions claim World Cup crown". www.independent.ie. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- "Pro League Argentinië: de nationale selecties zijn bekend!". hockey.be (in Dutch). Royal Belgian Hockey Association. 5 February 2024.