Hockey is a fast-paced game that requires full dedication. If you miss one shot, the whole game will be flipped. So, speed, agility, and stamina are the core driving forces that mark your win in sports like Hockey. The best hockey players of all time have showcased their eye coordination and footwork skills, pushing their limits to master the game with perfection. Hockey as a sport comes in multiple versions depending on national boundaries, like Hurling from Ireland, Shinty in Scotland, the Chinese version named Beikou, and others.
Want to know these greatest hockey players of all time? Let’s turn the history pages to reveal the list of players who set a classic example for the world and inspire upcoming hockey players to secure a spot in the future with playing skills. Here is the list of the best hockey players; take a look:
10 – Fergus Kavanagh
Hailed as one of the best hockey players of all time, Fergus Kavanagh plays for the Australian men’s field hockey team. With his participation, the team won the Delhi Hockey World Cup in 2010 and the Hague World Cup in 2014. His amazing hockey ground skills helped his team secure Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals.
9 – Dhanraj Pillay
Next in the row for the best hockey players of all time is Dhanraj Pillay, the only Indian player to be featured in the 1994 World Cup in Sydney. From 1992 to 2004, he participated in four Olympics and also managed the captaincy of the Indian field hockey team. In his hockey career, he scored over 170 goals across 339 international games; due to his great contribution, among the greatest hockey players of all time, he was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Shri in 2000.
8 – Jamie Dwyer
He is another Australian player who marked his spot among the best hockey players of all time. In the 2004 Olympics, he led his Australian field hockey team to win the gold medal with his best shots. After playing over 250 matches, the players made almost 150 goals to stand out as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Jamie Dwyer is known for his major contribution and for winning gold medals in the Commonwealth Games held in 2006 & 2008.
7 – Ties Kruize
He has been recognised as one of the best penalty takers among the best hockey players of all time. Ties Kruize is a core member of the Dutch field team and has participated in many competitions, including the World Cup, Buenos Aires Hockey World Cup, EuroHockey Championships, etc. During his long sports career, Ties Kruize won multiple medals and held his leading position in competitions. Besides joining the Dutch national team, he was also a HC Klein Zwitserland Club member.
6 – Shahbaz Ahmed
He is known as Maradona of field hockey due to his signature step of dribbling with the stick. Shahbaz Ahmed is a former Pakistani player who led the 1994 World Cup victory as skipper. He has also played for the German club Harvestehuder and participated in the Olympics, securing a bronze medal. Interestingly, he is the only player who continuously won the Player of the Tournament award in 1990 and 1994.
5 – Teun de Nooijer
Another Dutch player who made the list of best hockey players of all time is Teun de Nooijer.
Apart from presenting his own team, he showed remarkable performance for other teams, such as the Uttar Pradesh Wizards in the Indian Hockey League and the Dutch team HC Bloemendaal. Being one of the greatest hockey players of all time, he secured the gold medal for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Sydney Olympics 2000.
4 – Hassan Sardar
He is the most talented and undoubtedly one of the top players in the Pakistan Hockey Federation. He led the team and won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
His journey took a turn as one of the best hockey players of all time to enter the administration part as well, handling the position of head coach and manager of the Pakistan national team. It demonstrates his versatile role and skill for the ground.
3 – Ric Charlesworth
He is ranked third on the list of greatest hockey players of all time and represents the Australian Hockey team. In his playing career, he represented his team over five times in the Olympics. Ric’s undermining victory for the hockey World Cup in London in 1986 can’t be forgotten due to his splendid performance. He was awarded the Australian Hall of Fame in 1987 and Australian Citizen of the Year in 2001.
2 – Sohail Abbas
A player who has scored over 300 goals in Hockey, Sohail Abbas is known as the game’s genius. Hailed as one of the best hockey players of all time, this player showcases his exceptional skill in the field as being the greatest flicker ahead of time. Representing over three World Cups, he is among the top scorers with 16 goals. His journey was exceptional and made him widely popular.
1 – Dhyan Chand
Who else could be among the best players of all time? It’s none other than Colonel Dhyan Chand. In Olympic history, he is known as one of the greatest athletes. He scored over 100o goals throughout his career in domestic and international games and earned the nickname Wizard. One of the greatest Indian Field Hockey players, he showcased their extraordinary ball control and goal-scoring feats, winning over three gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936 during his era.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the richest hockey player?
Wayne Gretzky is the richest hockey player. He retired in 1999 and held over 60 NHL (National Hockey League) records.
Which team is No. 1 in hockey?
The Canada is the no. 1 team in hockey.
Why was Dhyan Chand called the magician?
Dhyan Chand’s superb ball control while playing hockey helped him score most goals. This is why people started calling him a magician of hockey.
Who is called the father of hockey?
Captain James is called the father of ice hockey; he was born on 10 October, 1870.
