Bhubaneswar: Sixteen teams will be vying for glory when the FIH Men’s World Cup hockey championship gets underway in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela on January 13.
Besides hosts India, several eyes will be focused on defending champions Belgium, who edged past The Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after the teams were deadlocked 0-0 in regulation time at Kalinga Stadium on December 16, 2018.
If the Red Lions hope to do an encore, they will need another strong performance from the 34-year-old midfielder John-John Dohmen.
Domen, who has won 436 international caps already, is the most experienced player at the 15th edition of the prestigious meet which Odisha will be hosting for the second straight time.
Domen also happens to be one of the most decorated players in international hockey. Apart from being a World Cup winner, Domen also boasts of an Olympic gold (Tokyo) and silver (Rio de Janeiro).
FIH World Player of the Year in 2016, Domen has scored three goals in the World Cup.
Domen will be looking to add to that tally when Belgium open their campaign against South Korea on January 12 at Kalinga Stadium. They will also face Germany and Japan in other Pool B matches in their pursuit to top the group and book a direct quarterfinal spot.
Domen seems to be getting better with age. So beware all opponents.
