The Indian men’s hockey team hasn’t had the ideal start to the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25, suffering narrow losses to the Netherlands. With those results now behind them, the focus shifts to their upcoming clash against Argentina in Amsterdam.

India and Argentina have met regularly in recent years, with India enjoying the upper hand in their head-to-head record. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, the two sides played out a thrilling draw, but in the previous edition of the Pro League (2023/24), India got the better of Argentina on both occasions, the second victory coming in a tense shootout.

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Speaking ahead of the upcoming matches, captain Harmanpreet Singh said, “We are aware of the task at hand in the matches against Argentina. The team is working hard every day in training, and we are confident of doing well. Argentina is a strong team, and at this level, no match is easy.”

With six matches remaining in the competition, India currently sits fourth on the points table with 15 points. With a spot at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 up for grabs, Indian men are determined to perform well in the remaining fixtures and secure maximum points against tough opponents.

Reflecting on the road ahead, Harmanpreet added, “We are prepared for whatever comes our way. We’ve prepared well for this tournament and tried various combinations and strategies in the lead-up. We are confident of putting on a strong performance against Argentina.”

In the FIH Hockey Pro League (Men), India has never suffered a regulation-time defeat against Argentina. Their only loss came via a shootout in 2022 in Bhubaneswar. With both upcoming matches scheduled in Amsterdam, India will look to extend its strong run against the South American side.

“The team has a good track record against Argentina, but we’re not taking anything for granted. Those results are in the past, we need to perform in the present to stay on course for World Cup qualification. The team has been training well, and the coaching staff has been giving us a lot of encouragement. I’m confident we’ll deliver strong performances,” Harmanpreet concluded.