Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Dec 5: The Indian men’s junior hockey team will face traditional rivals Belgium in the quarterfinals of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 today at Egmore, Chennai.

Coached by PR Sreejesh, the Indian side has shown a mercurial run in the round-robin stage, registering big wins against Chile (7-0), Oman (17-0), and Switzerland (5-0). In the second phase, they finished second in Pool D, behind Spain, after beating Namibia 12-1, losing 0-2 to Spain, and defeating Egypt 10-0.

While India’s goalkeepers have barely been tested, the team’s forwards have been in sparkling form, scoring 29 goals, the highest by any team in the tournament so far. However, the Belgium clash will be a real test, with the European side expected to pose a stern challenge to India’s high-flying attack.

Fans will be watching closely to see if India can convert their dominant pool-stage performance into a win against a more experienced and tactically astute Belgian team.