Belgium men's national field hockey team

Belgium
Nickname(s)Red Lions
AssociationRoyal Belgian Hockey Association
ConfederationEHF (Europe)
Head CoachShane McLeod
Assistant coach(es)Xavier Reckinger
ManagerEric Pirenne
CaptainFélix Denayer
Home
Away
FIH ranking
Current 3 1 (18 June 2025)[1]
Highest1 (December 2018 – June 2019, January 2020 – June 2021)
Lowest14 (2003–04)
Olympic Games
Appearances16 (first in 1920)
Best result 1st
(2020)
World Cup
Appearances7 (first in 1973)
Best result 1st
(2018)
European Championship
Appearances18 (first in 1970)
Best result 1st
(2019)

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]

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, 2024-25
Third place: 2022-23
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 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
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
2023–24 Fifth place 5th 16 7 2 7 41 39
2024–25 Runners-up 2nd 16 8 4 4 53 39
Total Best: Winners 5/5 96 53 16 25 309 214

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.

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

2024

23 June 2024 Netherlands Leg Great Britain  1–3   Utrecht, Netherlands
13:30 Ansell  33' Report Wegnez  17'
Hendrickx  30'37'
Stadium: SV Kampong
25 June 2024 Netherlands Leg Netherlands  3–1   Utrecht, Netherlands
20:00 Janssen  41'
Reyenga  45'
De Mol  51'
Report Boon  18' Stadium: SV Kampong
27 June 2024 Netherlands Leg Great Britain  3–1   Amsterdam, Netherlands
16:30 Wallace  3'
Ward  20'58'
Report Hendrickx  22' Stadium: Wagener Stadium
30 June 2024 Netherlands Leg Netherlands  3–5   Amsterdam, Netherlands
15:00 T. Brinkman  13'15'
Pieters  46'
Report Stockbroekx  1'
De Kerpel  12'
Hendrickx  27'
Luypaert  39'
Onana  58'
Stadium: Wagener Stadium
27 July 2024 2024 Summer Olympics GS   2–0  Ireland Paris, France
10:30 Boon  25'
Hendrickx  49'
Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
28 July 2024 2024 Summer Olympics GS   2–1  New Zealand Paris, France
17:30 Hendrickx  8'
Van Aubel  44'
Report Lane  43' Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
30 July 2024 2024 Summer Olympics GS Australia  2–6   Paris, France
19:45 Sharp  28'
Govers  44'
Report Hendrickx  7'
Boon  15'30'57'
Van Aubel  35'
Kina  38'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
1 August 2024 2024 Summer Olympics GS India  1–2   Paris, France
10:00 Abhishek  18' Report Stockbroekx  33'
Dohmen  44'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
2 August 2024 2024 Summer Olympics GS   3–3  Argentina Paris, France
17:30 De Kerpel  34'
Hendrickx  52'
Stockbroekx  60'
Report Casella  5'
Domene  45'
Rey  53'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
4 August 2024 2024 Summer Olympics QF   2–3  Spain Paris, France
12:30 De Sloover  41'
Hendrickx  58'
Report Basterra  40'
Reyné  55'
Miralles  57'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
2 December 2024 Netherlands Leg   4–3  Germany Amsterdam, Netherlands
14:30 Duvekot  40'
Boon  11'16'54'
Report Zwicker  48'
Sperling  57'
Peillat  60'
Stadium: Wagener Stadium
8 December 2024 Netherlands Leg Netherlands  3–3
(3–1 p)
  Amsterdam, Netherlands
14:30 Bijen  11'28'
Van der Veen  27'
Report Boon  1'45'
Stockbroekx  22'
Stadium: Wagener Stadium
Penalties
De Mol
Bijen
Brinkman
Veen
Boccard
Willems
De Sloover
Van Dessel
9 December 2024 Netherlands Leg Germany  3–6   Amsterdam, Netherlands
14:30 Hartkopf  18'
Prinz  26'
Mazkour  43'
Report Ghislain  5'
Boon  15'42'51'
Hellin  49'
Stockbroekx  50'
Stadium: Wagener Stadium

2025

19 February 2025 Argentina Leg Argentina  3–5   Santiago del Estero, Argentina
19:00 Toscani  10'
Habif  58'
Capurro  60'
Report Boon  13'22'60'
Hellin  31'
Stockbroekx  50'
Stadium: Polideportivo Provincial
21 February 2025 Argentina Leg Australia  2–2
(3–4 p)
  Santiago del Estero, Argentina
19:00 Geddes  15'
Welch  53'
Report Boon  36'51' Stadium: Polideportivo Provincial
Penalties
Brand
Ephraums
Willott
Marais
Welch
Brand
Boccard
De Sloover
Van Dessel
Kina
Boon
Kina
22 February 2025 Argentina Leg Argentina  0–1   Santiago del Estero, Argentina
19:00 Report Boon  60' Stadium: Polideportivo Provincial
24 February 2025 Argentina Leg   1–3  Australia Santiago del Estero, Argentina
19:00 De Kerpel  48' Report Welch  14'
Ephraums  23'
Burns  44'
Stadium: Polideportivo Provincial
14 June 2025 Belgium Leg   5–1  Ireland Antwerp, Belgium
15:30 Boon  7'28'50'
Stockbroekx  22'
Duvekot  42'
Report Rowe  34' Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
15 June 2025 Belgium Leg   2–3  Ireland Antwerp, Belgium
15:30 De Kerpel  46'
Crols  60'
Report Rowe  35'
Cole  43'58'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
17 June 2025 Belgium Leg   1–2  Spain Antwerp, Belgium
20:30 Onana  7' Report Basterra  22'
Ávila  25'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
18 June 2025 Belgium Leg   6–3  Spain Antwerp, Belgium
20:30 Hendrickx  15+'26'
Boon  18'
De Sloover  24'
Hellin  47'
Duvekot  59'
Report M. Miralles  46'
N. Álvarez  51'
Pe. Cunill  55'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
21 June 2025 Belgium Leg   6–3  India Antwerp, Belgium
15:30 Van Doren  1'54'
Hendrickx  28'
Duvekot  49'
Stockbroekx  53'
Boon  59'
Report Dilpreet  36'
Mandeep  38'
Amit  56'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
22 June 2025 Belgium Leg   3–4  India Antwerp, Belgium
15:30 De Sloover  8'
Stockbroekx  34'
Labouchere  41'
Report Sukhjeet  21'35'
Amit  36'
Harmanpreet  59'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
28 June 2025 Belgium Leg   v  England Antwerp, Belgium
13:00 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
29 June 2025 Belgium Leg   v  England Antwerp, Belgium
13:00 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp
12 August 2025 2025 EC GS Spain  v   Mönchengladbach, Germany
Stadium: Warsteiner HockeyPark
14 August 2025 2025 EC TBD   v Mönchengladbach, Germany
Stadium: Warsteiner HockeyPark
16 August 2025 2025 EC TBD   v Mönchengladbach, Germany
Stadium: Warsteiner HockeyPark
22 November 2025 2025 SASC GS Malaysia  v   Ipoh, Malaysia
20:30 Report Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium
23 November 2025 2025 SASC GS Germany  v   Ipoh, Malaysia
18:15 Report Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium
25 November 2025 2025 SASC GS   v  India Ipoh, Malaysia
18:15 Report Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium
26 November 2025 2025 SASC GS   v  Canada Ipoh, Malaysia
16:00 Report Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium
28 November 2025 2025 SASC GS Ireland  v   Ipoh, Malaysia
16:00 Report Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium
29 November 2025 2025 SASC TBD   v Ipoh, Malaysia
Stadium: Azlan Shah Stadium

Team

Current squad

On 12 June 2025, the following 18 players were called up for the 2025 Men's EuroHockey Championship in Mönchengladbach, Germany from 8 to 16 August 2025.[5]

Caps updated as of 29 June 2025, after the match against England.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) CapsClub
1 GK Simon Vandenbroucke (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 13 Waterloo Ducks
14 GK Loic Van Doren (1996-09-14) 14 September 1996 71 Dragons

4 DF Arthur Van Doren (1994-10-01) 1 October 1994 262 Braxgata
9 DF Maxime Van Oost (1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 59 Waterloo Ducks
11 DF Tommy Willems (1997-04-13) 13 April 1997 36 Waterloo Ducks
16 DF Alexander Hendrickx (1993-08-06) 6 August 1993 205 Gantoise
23 DF Arthur De Sloover (1997-05-03) 3 May 1997 182 Oranje-Rood

5 MF Arno Van Dessel (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 50 Bloemendaal
6 MF Lucas Balthazar (2006-01-08) 8 January 2006 11 Uccle Sport
17 FW Guillaume Hellin (2001-05-28) 28 May 2001 20 Gantoise
24 MF Antoine Kina (1996-02-13) 13 February 1996 134 Gantoise
26 MF Victor Wegnez (1995-12-25) 25 December 1995 185 Waterloo Ducks

7 FW Thibeau Stockbroekx (2000-07-20) 20 July 2000 60 Braxgata
13 FW Nicolas De Kerpel (1993-03-23) 23 March 1993 141 Herakles
18 FW Roman Duvekot (2000-06-21) 21 June 2000 19 Gantoise
27 FW Tom Boon (1990-01-25) 25 January 1990 369 Léopold
30 FW Nelson Onana (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 52 Léopold
37 FW Thomas Crols (2003-09-11) 11 September 2003 18 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 Club Latest call-up
GK Vincent Vanasch (1987-12-21) 21 December 1987 288 Orée 2024 Summer Olympics

DF Olivier Biekens (1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 20 Braxgata v.  India, 22 June 2025
DF Hugo Labouchere (2004-02-07) 7 February 2004 7 Orée v.  India, 22 June 2025
DF Gauthier Boccard (1991-08-26) 26 August 1991 310 Léopold v.  Australia, 24 February 2025 RETIRED
DF Loïck Luypaert (1991-08-19) 19 August 1991 315 Braxgata 2024 Summer Olympics RETIRED

MF Victor Foubert (2002-10-12) 12 October 2002 11 Dragons v.  England, 29 June 2025
MF Tobias Biekens (2001-01-02) 2 January 2001 23 Braxgata v.  India, 22 June 2025
MF Louis De Backer (2002-02-27) 27 February 2002 2 Léopold v.  Spain, 17 June 2025
MF John-John Dohmen (1988-01-24) 24 January 1988 481 Orée 2024 Summer Olympics RETIRED
MF Félix Denayer (Captain) (1990-01-31) 31 January 1990 402 Dragons 2024 Summer Olympics RETIRED

FW William Ghislain (1999-07-28) 28 July 1999 49 Waterloo Ducks v.  India, 22 June 2025
FW Cédric Charlier (1987-11-27) 27 November 1987 381 Racing 2024 Summer Olympics RETIRED
FW Florent Van Aubel (1991-10-25) 25 October 1991 301 Pinoké 2024 Summer Olympics RETIRED

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIH Outdoor World Hockey Rankings". FIH. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  2. ^ Jonckheere, Karien. "Newly crowned hockey champs Belgium's SA connection". SuperSport. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Craig Fulton helps guide Belgium to maiden hockey World Cup". www.irishtimes.com. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Fulton's pride shines as the Red Lions claim World Cup crown". www.independent.ie. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Shane McLeod maakt de selectie van de Red Lions bekend voor het EK 2025". hockey.beq. Royal Belgian Hockey Association. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.