Germany beats Spain to win record-extending eighth Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup title
Germany won its record-extending eighth FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup title with a 3-2 shootout win over Spain after a one-all stalemate in the final at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
German goalkeeper Jasper Ditzer, Player of the Match in the shootout win over France in the quarterfinals, delivered again in the tie-breaker, playing a key role in Germany’s successful title defence.
Ditzer successfully forced Andres Medina wide, creating a tough angle that prevented the Spaniard from scoring, allowing Germany to retain its title.
Both teams adopted a cautious approach at the start of the summit clash. Germany focused on maintaining possession, successfully denying the Spanish attackers any meaningful opportunities.
Spain displayed patience and initially refrained from employing a high press. Germany utilised strict man-to-man marking to disrupt Spain’s midfield and prevent it from dictating the game’s tempo. However, once Spain gained control of the ball, it quickly began to overload the midfield, resulting in the creation of five Penalty Corners (PC). Despite this sustained pressure, the German defence, led by custodian Ditzer, held firm.
Germany increased its attacking intensity in the second quarter, forcing a world-class save from the Spanish goalkeeper, Jan Capellades. Four minutes before halftime, Die Honamas scored the opening goal. Maximilian Stahmann set up Justus Waeweg, who found the back of the board with a fierce tomahawk. The seven-time champion took a slender 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
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Immediately after the restart, Spain pressed forward aggressively in search of an equaliser. Within just two minutes, Nicolas Mustaros levelled the score with a smart finish. The Young Red Sticks attempted to capitalise on this momentum to take the lead, but the German defence expertly weathered the storm.
In the closing moments of the match, barely a minute before the final whistle, Waeweg made a surging run through the middle. Unfortunately for Germany, he ultimately scuffed his shot, which sailed wide of the target, and the contest rolled into a thrilling shootout.
In the resulting tie-breaker, Spain chose substitute Diego Palomero as its goalkeeper, who made two brilliant saves, but his compatriots failed to convert, ultimately dashing Spain’s dream of winning its first-ever world title in the sport.
Published on Dec 10, 2025