# 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.
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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1912 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1920 | Bronze medal | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 19 |
| 1924 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1928 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 |
| 1932 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | 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 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1984 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1988 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1992 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1996 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2000 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2004 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 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 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 10 |
| Total | Best: Champion | 16/26 | 88 | 40 | 13 | 35 | 291 | 173 |

### 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1973 | Group phase | 8th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| 1975 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1978 | Group phase | 14th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 18 |
| 1982 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1986 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1990 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1994 | Group phase | 11th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 26 |
| 1998 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2002 | Group phase | 14th | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 23 |
| 2006 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2010 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | 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 |
| 2023–24 | Fifth place | 5th | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 41 | 39 |
| 2024-25 | Second place | 2nd | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 15 |
| Total | Best: Winners | 5/5 | 78 | 45 | 12 | 21 | 256 | 175 |

### 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 |
| 2012–13 | 5th | Semifinal | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 9 |
| 2012–13 | 5th | Final | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 2014–15 | 2nd | Semifinal | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 8 |
| 2014–15 | 2nd | Final | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 9 |
| 2016–17 | 5th | Semifinal | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 8 |
| 2016–17 | 5th | 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 2014 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| Total | Best: Winners | 5/8 | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 80 | 77 |
    *Draws include matches decided on a penalty shoot-out.

## Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixture

### 2025
## Team
### Current squad

On 12 February 2025, the following 24 players were called up for the Pro League matches against the Argentina and Australia in Santiago del Estero, Argentina from 19 to 24 February 2025.
Caps updated as of 24 February 2025, after the match against Australia.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | GK | Simon Vandenbroucke | (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 (age 25) | 11 | 0 | Waterloo Ducks |
| 14 | GK | Loic Van Doren | (1996-09-14) 14 September 1996 (age 28) | 65 | 0 | Dragons |
| 4 | DF | Arthur Van Doren | (1994-10-01) 1 October 1994 (age 30) | 255 | 19 | Braxgata |
| 9 | DF | Maxime Van Oost | (1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 (age 25) | 52 | 0 | Waterloo Ducks |
| 11 | DF | Tommy Willems | (1997-04-13) 13 April 1997 (age 27) | 29 | 3 | Waterloo Ducks |
| 12 | DF | Gauthier Boccard | (1991-08-26) 26 August 1991 (age 33) | 310 | 26 | Léopold |
| 16 | DF | Alexander Hendrickx | (1993-08-06) 6 August 1993 (age 31) | 199 | 168 | Gantoise |
| 23 | DF | Arthur De Sloover | (1997-05-03) 3 May 1997 (age 27) | 175 | 6 | Oranje-Rood |
| 33 | DF | Hugo Labouchere | (2004-02-07) 7 February 2004 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Orée |
| 34 | DF | Olivier Biekens | (1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 (age 25) | 15 | 0 | Braxgata |
| 5 | MF | Arno Van Dessel | (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 (age 21) | 48 | 1 | Herakles |
| 6 | MF | Lucas Balthazar | (2006-01-08) 8 January 2006 (age 19) | 4 | 0 | Uccle Sport |
| 22 | MF | Victor Foubert | (2002-10-12) 12 October 2002 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Dragons |
| 24 | MF | Antoine Kina | (1996-02-13) 13 February 1996 (age 29) | 134 | 15 | Gantoise |
| 26 | MF | Victor Wegnez | (1995-12-25) 25 December 1995 (age 29) | 177 | 27 | Waterloo Ducks |
| 28 | MF | Tobias Biekens | (2001-01-02) 2 January 2001 (age 24) | 18 | 0 | Braxgata |
| 7 | FW | Thibeau Stockbroekx | (2000-07-20) 20 July 2000 (age 24) | 52 | 20 | Oranje-Rood |
| 10 | FW | William Ghislain | (1999-07-28) 28 July 1999 (age 25) | 45 | 9 | Waterloo Ducks |
| 13 | FW | Nicolas De Kerpel | (1993-03-23) 23 March 1993 (age 31) | 134 | 44 | Herakles |
| 17 | FW | Guillaume Hellin | (2001-05-28) 28 May 2001 (age 23) | 12 | 3 | Gantoise |
| 18 | FW | Roman Duvekot | (2000-06-21) 21 June 2000 (age 24) | 13 | 2 | Gantoise |
| 27 | FW | Tom Boon | (1990-01-25) 25 January 1990 (age 35) | 362 | 305 | Léopold |
| 30 | FW | Nelson Onana | (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 (age 25) | 46 | 12 | Léopold |
| 37 | FW | Thomas Crols | (2003-09-11) 11 September 2003 (age 21) | 11 | 0 | Dragons |

### 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 | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Vincent Vanasch | (1987-12-21) 21 December 1987 (age 37) | 288 | 0 | Orée | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| DF | Loïck Luypaert | (1991-08-19) 19 August 1991 (age 33) | 315 | 100 | Braxgata | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| MF | John-John Dohmen | (1988-01-24) 24 January 1988 (age 37) | 481 | 63 | Orée | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| MF | Félix Denayer (Captain) | (1990-01-31) 31 January 1990 (age 35) | 402 | 48 | Dragons | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| MF | Guillermo Hainaut | (2002-06-08) 8 June 2002 (age 22) | 8 | 1 | Uccle Sport | v. India, 23 May 2024 |
| FW | Cédric Charlier | (1987-11-27) 27 November 1987 (age 37) | 381 | 116 | Racing | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| FW | Florent Van Aubel | (1991-10-25) 25 October 1991 (age 33) | 301 | 119 | Pinoké | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| FW | Tanguy Cosyns | (1991-06-29) 29 June 1991 (age 33) | 180 | 80 | Racing | v. Spain, 1 June 2024 |