Germany successfully defended their men’s Hockey World Cup crown after edging Spain 1-0 in a closely fought final at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium.

The decisive moment arrived in the third quarter when Michel Struthoff found the net in the 44th minute. Germany created an opening inside the circle, and Struthoff made no mistake with his finish to give his team the lead.

Spain controlled much of the contest and created several opportunities but could not find a way past Germany’s defence. The Spanish side registered nine shots on target, 24 circle entries and four penalty corners, yet Germany managed to protect their narrow advantage until the final whistle.

Goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg played a crucial role in Germany’s triumph. He produced a series of important saves, including a superb stop to deny Spain during a dangerous attacking move.

Germany had earlier suffered a defeat against Spain in the tournament, making their victory in the final even more significant. The triumph also saw Germany join Pakistan as the only teams to have won the men’s Hockey World Cup four times.

Germany captain Christopher Ruhr, who was named Player of the Match, praised his teammates for overcoming expectations and handling the pressure of the final.

Spain were left without a first World Cup title despite producing a strong tournament. Their coach Max Caldas also suffered another final defeat, having previously lost the 2018 World Cup final with the Netherlands.

In the bronze-medal match, Argentina defeated the Netherlands 2-1, leaving the Dutch without a World Cup medal for the first time since 2006.