India’s campaign at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 ended in heartbreak on Monday as Argentina defeated the team 5-3 in the second-round clash in Amsterdam. The loss ended India’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals and extending a 51-year medal drought in the tournament.
Argentina’s Blistering Start
Argentina took control from the very first minute. Toscani scored within 40 seconds to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Argentina earned a penalty corner soon after, but goalkeeper Mohit HS made a crucial save to keep India in the game. Argentina continued to pressure and scored a second goal in the opening quarter. Sukhjeet Singh pulled one back for India, ending the first quarter at 2-1 in favor of Argentina.
India’s Struggles in Middle Quarters
The second quarter saw no goals from either side, with Argentina leading 2-1 at halftime. The third quarter was completely dominated by Argentina, who scored two more goals to stretch their lead to 4-1. India failed to find the net in this period and looked increasingly desperate. In the final quarter, India scored twice while Argentina added one more goal, making the final score 5-3.
Semifinal Hopes Dashed
India needed a big win against Argentina, such as a 5-0 margin, to stay alive in the tournament. They also needed Netherlands to beat England by at least 1-0 in the other match. Both conditions failed, and India’s World Cup challenge ended. The team will now have to wait another four years for a shot at the title and a medal in the World Cup.
India’s Playing XI and Road Ahead
The Indian team took the field with Mohit HS as goalkeeper and captain Harmanpreet Singh leading the side. The playing XI included Sukhjeet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Sumit, Shilanand Lakra, and Abhishek. The substitutes were Suraj Karkera, Nilakanta Sharma, Mandeep Singh, Yashdeep Siwach, Amit Rohidas, Dilpreet Singh, and Aditya Arjun Lalage.
