The Men's FIH Hockey World Cup is an international field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The tournament was started in 1971. It is held every four years, bridging the four years between the Summer Olympics. Pakistan is the most successful team, having won the tournament four times. The Netherlands, Australia, and Germany have each won three titles. Belgium and India have both won the tournament once.
Craig Victory is a field hockey striker from Australia who played 102 international games for the Australia men's national field hockey team, the Kookaburras. He is a Commonwealth Games, World Cup and Champions Trophy Gold Medalist and was an Olympic Bronze Medalist with the Australia men's national field hockey team the Kookaburras at the 2000 in Sydney.
Graham John Reid is a former Australian field hockey player who played as a defender and midfielder for the Australian national team. He managed the Indian men's national team that won a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Robert (Herbie) Haigh is a former hockey player from Australia, a three time olympian who won two Olympic silver medals as a member of the national team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He also competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where the Australian team finished fifth.
Sport in Pakistan is a significant part of Pakistani culture. Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan, while field hockey, polo, and squash are also popular. Traditional sports like kabaddi and other well-known games are also played.
India men's national field hockey team represents India in international field hockey competitions, and is governed by Hockey India. The team was formerly under the control of Indian Hockey Federation. India was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation.
The Pakistan national field hockey team represents Pakistan in international field hockey. Having played its first match in 1948, it is administered by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the governing body for hockey in Pakistan. It has been a member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 1948 and was founding member of the Asian Hockey Federation (ASHF), which was formed in 1958. Pakistan is one of the most successful national field hockey teams in the world with a record four Hockey World Cup wins.
Shahnaz Sheikh is a retired Pakistani field hockey player. He was born at Sialkot, Pakistan. He is related to Olympians Zahid Sheikh and Tariq Sheikh. In 2014, he was the head coach of Pakistan National Hockey Team. He was appointed head coach of Pakistan hockey team for Olympics Qualifier to be held in Oman in January 2024.
Akhtar Rasool is a field hockey player, captain and olympian from Pakistan who won the gold medal with the Men's National Hockey Team at the Hockey World Cup 1978, and again in 1982. He played as Center Half for the Pakistan hockey team. Akhtar is considered one of the creative geniuses in centre-half recovery and ball distribution.
Rehan Butt is a former Pakistani professional field hockey player who played as a forward for the Pakistan national field hockey team. A world renowned player known for his play-making skills and shooting in-front of the goal Rehan was named in the FIH All Stars Team in 2008 and 2010. In 2008 he was declared as the Best Asian Player by the Asian Hockey Federation. At international level Rehan represented Pakistan at three Olympics and two Hockey World Cups. He was part of the teams that finished third at three consecutive Champions Trophy in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He won the gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games.
Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh is an Indian field hockey player from Kerala who plays as a goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian national team.He is regarded as the World's best goal keeper of his generation. He plays in the Hockey India League for Uttar Pradesh Wizards. Sreejesh played a vital role in the Indian national team's bronze medal win at the 2020 Summer Olympics men's field hockey tournament. He won FIH Player of the Year Awards (2020–21) for best male goalkeeper. Since winning gold in 2014 Asian Games he won gold medal again in 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. He won a total of 16 international medals in his career until 2023 from Olympics, FIH Hockey World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Asian tournaments combined.
Munir Ahmed Dar was a Pakistani field hockey player who played as a fullback. He was a member of the Pakistan team that won gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics and silver the 1956 Melbourne and 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. He captained the side from 1965 to 1967.
Jamie Dwyer is an Australian field hockey player. He currently plays for YMCC Coastal City Hockey Club in the Melville Toyota League in Perth, Western Australia. He also played for the Queensland Blades in the Australian Hockey League. He debuted for Australia as a junior player in 1995, and for the senior side in 2001. He has played over 350 matches for Australia and scored over 220 goals. He has represented Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics where he won a gold medal and the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics where Australia won bronze medals. He has also represented Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games where he won a gold medal and the 2010 Commonwealth Games where he also won gold. He has won silver medals at the 2002 Men's Hockey World Cup and the 2006 Men's Hockey World Cup. He won a gold medal at the 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup and the 2014 Men's Hockey World Cup. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Sandra Pisani OAM was an Australian field hockey player who played 85 international games for Australia and was the captain from 1985 to 1987. She competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics and was part of the team that won Australia's first Olympic gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Rahim Khan is a former Olympian and inventor of reverse flick, is a hockey legend who was member of Pakistan field hockey team who won the Men's World cup hockey tournament in 1994. He played 126 international matches by scoring 25 international goals and most on them on the reverse flick, he invented. He plays at right- in position.
Manpreet Singh Pawar is an Indian field hockey player. He led the Indian field hockey team to the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He plays as a halfback.
Balbir Singh Dosanjh, predominantly known as Balbir Singh Sr., was an Indian hockey player and coach. He was a three-time Olympic gold medallist, having played a key role in India's wins in London (1948), Helsinki (1952), and Melbourne (1956) Olympics. He is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, a modern-day Dhyan Chand, a legend of the sport, and is widely regarded as the sport's greatest ever centre-forward. His Olympic record for most goals scored by an individual in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten. Singh set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6–1 victory over the Netherlands in the gold medal game of the 1952 Olympic Games. He was often called Balbir Singh Senior to distinguish him from other Indian hockey players named Balbir Singh. Singh scored 246 goals from just 61 international caps
Abdul Rashid, known as Rashid Junior, was a Pakistani field hockey player. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics, the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was part of the gold, silver and bronze winning teams at those Olympics respectively. On 4 November 2020, it was announced that Abdul Rashid had died.
Naveed Alam was a Pakistani field hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
There have been some field hockey players who competed for more than one nation. These players belonged to British India, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Argentina, Germany and Spain. It may be mentioned here that British India was divided into two independent countries India and Pakistan in 1947. Later in 1971, Bangladesh was created after attaining independence from Pakistan.
British Indian (1943-1947)
Pakistani (1947-2021)
