Men
By their own very high standards, host nation and 2012 Olympic Silver medallists the Netherlands had a disappointing 2013 thanks to third place finishes at the TriFinance EuroHockey Nations continental championship in Belgium and the Rabobank Hockey World League Semi-Final on home soil.
However, the European giants started 2014 in stunning fashion when they powered to the victory in the Hero Hockey World League Final, thrashing New Zealand 7-2 in the Gold medal match. The result sent out a strong message that the team are more than ready to challenge for their first Hockey World Cup title since 1998, an event which also took place on Dutch soil in the city of Utrecht.
The Netherlands squad for this contains a glittering array of world class talent including midfield dynamo Robert van der Horst, playmaker Billy Bakker and quicksilver goal-scorer Jeroen Hertzberger, while powerhouse defender Mink van der Weerden is arguably the best penalty corner flicker in the world.
With the passionate home fans cheering their every move, expect the Netherlands to be competing for top honours at the Kyocera Stadium.
Best World Cup results:
The Dutch men have won gold three times; 1973 (Amstelveen), 1990 (Lahore) and 1998 (Utrecht) and have taken part in 12 World Cups .
FIH World Ranking:
3rd
Team
| 1 Jaap Stockman | 3 Floris van der Linden |
| 4 Klaas Vermeulen | 5 Marcel Balkestein |
| 7 Wouter Jolie | 8 Billy Bakker |
| 10 Valenti Verga | 11 Jeroen Hertzberger |
| 12 Robbert Kemperman | 13 Sander Baart |
| 20 Jelle Galema | 22 Rogier Hofman |
| 23 Sander De Wijn | 24 Robert van der Horst |
| 25 Seve Van Ass | 26 Pirmin Blaak |
| 27 Constantijn Jonker | 30 Mink van der Weerden |
Staff
Head Coach – Paul van Ass
Assistant Coach – Eric Verboom
Team Manager – Maarten van Heeswijk
Stand-In Manager – Henk Willem van der Kamp
Team Doctor – Mart van Zoest
Physiotherapist – Mischa Vermeijs
Women
The Netherlands have long been one of the most dominant forces in world hockey, and in recent years have claimed many of the biggest prizes in the game.
They are the Olympic Gold medallists from both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, and are red hot favourites to win the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in front of their home fans in The Hague.
It would be fair to say that the team coached by former Argentina defender Max Caldas did not have their greatest year in 2013. A second place finish behind Germany in the Rabobank Hockey World League Semi-Final tournament in Rotterdam was followed by a third place finish at the TriFinance EuroHockey Nations Championships in Boom, Belgium, where the team failed to defend the European crown that they won both in 2009 and 2011.
However, the side ended the year on a massive high by winning the Hockey World League Final competition in San Miguel de Tucumán (ARG) despite fielding a severely weakened team.
Attacking talents Naomi van As, Eva de Goede and Kim Lammers were missing from that event but are reported to be fit, healthy and raring to go for the World Cup. Combined with various other world class players such as Ellen Hoog and peerless captain Maartje Paumen, the Netherlands are unquestionably the team to beat.
Best World Cup results:
The women have won gold eight times: 1971 (Auckland), 1974 (Mandelieu), 1978 (Madrid), 1979 (Vancouver), 1983 (Kuala Lumpur), 1986 (Amstelveen), 1990 (Sydney) and 2006 (Madrid) and have taken part in 15 World Cup events.
FIH World Ranking:
1st
Team
| 1 Joyce | 2 Frederique Derkx |
| 3 Xan De Waard | 7 Willemijn Bos |
| 8 Marloes | 9 Carlien Dirkse van de… |
| 10 Kelly Jonker | 12 Lidewij Welten |
| 13 Caia Maasakker | 17 Maartje Paumen |
| 18 Naomi Van As | 19 Ellen Hoog |
| 22 Larissa Meijer | 23 Kim Lammers |
| 24 Eva De Goede | 26 Roos Drost |
| 29 Jacky Schoenaker | 30 Margot Van Geffen |
Staff
Head Coach – Max Caldas
Assistant Coach – Ageeth Boomgaardt
Team Manager – Clarinda Sinnige
Team Doctor – Conny van Bentum
Physiotherapist – Johannes Veen