BY TERRY MADDAFORD
In New Delhi
It comes as little surprise that countries regarded among the best soccer-playing nations in the world have also made their mark in hockey.
There are obvious similarities between the two codes with hockey, especially in recent times, making robust changes in an attempt to keep pace with the world’s most popular sport. The scrapping of the offside rule the most innovative as the FIH strove for a more expansive, free-flowing spectacle.
Overall, Germany stands out clearly as the best country in the two sports.
They have won the World Cup three times (1954, 1974 and 1990). They have also been runner-up four times, third three times and fourth once.
At the Hockey World Cup, a tournament first played in 1971 and 10 times since, the Germans, and as West Germany prior to 1990, have won twice (in 2002 and 2006), been runner-up twice, third four times and never further back than fifth.
The Germans are the only country to have won both World Cups. Others have come close.
England won their only World Cup in 1966 and almost completed the double 20 years later when their hockey team were beaten 2-1 by Australia in the final.
The Dutch twice, in 1974 and 1978, were beaten World Cup finalists. In 1978 their hockey team were also were beaten finalists losing 3-2 to Pakistan.
The Netherlands are three-time Hockey World Cup champions -- in 1973, 1990 and 1998.
Spain and Argentina have also made their mark in both codes.
Argentina, World Cup winners in 1978 and 1986 (and runners-up in 1930 and 1990) have twice finished in the top six at the Hockey World Cup.
Spain, currently the top-ranked team on the latest Fifa list, have only a fourth placing (in 1950), to show for their efforts on the football field, but they have twice, in 1971 and 1998 been beaten by the odd goal at the Hockey World Cup. They have also finished third -- four years ago.
Spain and England are the only two teams to reach a final and not win.
Venues for the Hockey World Cup have been well spread but with India, following the Netherlands and Malaysia, just the third country to host the tournament.
The 1982 Cup in Bombay was the last played on grass.
In 1990 60,000 fans packed the stadium in Lahore to watch the Dutch beat hosts Pakistan 3-1.
Pakistan have won the trophy a record four times but not since their 1994 triumph (their last appearance in a final) when they finished 1-1 with the Netherlands before winning 4-3 on penalty strokes.
New Zealand’s only claim to fame is one they would prefer to forget. In 1982, in Mumbai, they were beaten 12-3 by Pakistan in pool play -- the only time 15 goals have been scored in a match at this level.
ENDS
