Well, if you look at the history between India and Belgium in hockey, it’s been quite a rollercoaster, I tell ya. Both teams have had their fair share of wins and losses, but India’s team has been a bit more dominant, at least in the early years. Now, let’s take a look at this head-to-head record and see how the games have played out over the years.
Now, if we go back to the start, India had a strong run. They won the first six times they met Belgium, yes, you heard it right—six straight wins! But that was before Belgium started getting their act together and, in 2011, at the FIH Champions Challenge, Belgium finally managed to beat India. That match ended 4-3 in Belgium’s favor, and it was their first-ever win against India after a long run of losses.
After that, the head-to-head record started to balance out more. India and Belgium faced each other in many tournaments, and over time, Belgium has started to make a name for itself. As of now, India holds a narrow lead with 17 wins compared to Belgium’s 15 wins in their overall head-to-head encounters. Pretty close, huh?
But, of course, you can’t forget the more recent matches. Belgium has been performing better lately, especially in the FIH Pro League. Just last year, in 2023, Belgium beat India 4-1 in their second match of the European leg of the Pro League, which was held in Antwerp. That was a tough one for India, I’m sure they didn’t see that coming.
Speaking of tough matches, let’s not forget the Men’s Hockey Olympics in 2024 in Paris. India and Belgium met again, and it was a nail-biter. Belgium won 2-1 after a shaky first half. India started strong but just couldn’t hold onto the lead, and Belgium edged past them with those two goals.
In the Hockey World Cup, the two teams have faced each other four times, with Belgium taking one win and India bagging two victories. Looks like India is still ahead in the World Cup encounters, but it’s not all one-sided anymore. Belgium is certainly making strides.
Now, over the years, these two teams have met in several other big tournaments, like the Asian Champions Trophy and the Commonwealth Games. India’s team had an especially good run in the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, but they lost out to Belgium in one of the key matches, showing that even the best have their tough days.
But let’s talk about the games that people still remember—like that one close encounter at the Tokyo Olympics, when India lost to Belgium 1-2 in the semi-finals. It was a heartbreaker for sure. India took the lead early with Abhishek scoring the first goal, but Belgium came back strong. Thibeau Stockbroekx and John-John Dohmen scored for Belgium, and just like that, India’s hopes were dashed.
When it comes to Olympic history, India’s hockey team is no stranger to glory. They’ve won a total of eight gold medals, and that makes them the most successful team in Olympic hockey history. But despite all those victories, when it comes to facing teams like Belgium, they’ve had their ups and downs. It’s clear, the Belgium team is no longer the underdog—it’s become one of the top teams to watch in international hockey.
So, with all these matchups between India and Belgium, what can we expect for the future? Well, it’s hard to say, but I’m sure both teams are working hard to keep improving. India might have a slight edge right now in the overall record, but Belgium is no longer the team to take lightly. Hockey’s a funny game, and it’s always changing, so we’ll just have to wait and see how these two teams continue to perform against each other in the years to come.
Key Matches Between India and Belgium:
- 2011 FIH Champions Challenge – Belgium wins 4-3
- 2023 FIH Pro League – Belgium wins 4-1
- 2024 Paris Olympics – Belgium wins 2-1
- Hockey World Cup – India wins 2, Belgium wins 1
- Tokyo Olympics Semi-finals – Belgium wins 2-1
It’s always a good match when these two teams play, and even though India leads the head-to-head record, Belgium is always a tough opponent. So, the next time they meet, don’t be too sure of anything—hockey’s a game of surprises, after all!
Tags：[India Hockey, Belgium Hockey, India vs Belgium, FIH Pro League, Hockey World Cup, Olympics Hockey, India vs Belgium head-to-head]