'Made silly mistakes, but we’ll come back stronger': Harmanpreet Singh reacts to 0-8 defeat to Argentina
(Courtesy : Hockey India)
Harmanpreet Singh also spoke about what he expects from the team in the upcoming matches.
India suffered a shocking 0-8 defeat against Argentina in the Rourkela leg of the Men’s FIH Pro League 2025–26 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, on Thursday.
Tomas Domene (15’, 20’, 26’, 60’), Tomas Ruiz (14’), Lucio Mendez (22’), Ignacio Ibarra (25′), and Nicolas della Torre (30’) were all on the scoresheet for the visitors.
This was India’s joint highest margin of defeat ever, having gone down with the same scoreline previously, against Netherlands (1985) and Australia (2010).
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh decided to pin the blame on the team, rather than pointing out individuals. “I think we made silly mistakes from our side.
There were no individual mistakes. As a team, we made those errors and conceded goals. We weren’t expecting this result but that’s how hockey is today. You will get chances and if you don’t use them, the opposition will capitalize.”
The prolific drag flicker from Amritsar couldn’t convert a penalty stroke in the first quarter. It was mayhem from thereon, as Argentina scored as many as seven goals in the first half. The team did show some resilience after the break, but it counted for nothing at the end.
“We played well in the second half. Of course, the scoreline is massive for us. This is a good lesson. However, it will not define how we come up in the upcoming matches. It is tough, but the right time to stay positive as a team and accept the mistakes we made. Looking forward to the upcoming matches.”
The two-time Olympic medalist also added that he doesn’t want to dwell much on this result. “It’s a big motivation for us.
We know that our team is good and we don’t deserve something like this. There will be a lot of negative thoughts. What I would say though is to keep believing on us. We’ll come back stronger.”
Also Read: Men’s FIH Pro League 2025-26: India’s schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details
Though it wasn’t ideal viewing for the near capacity crowd which had gathered in the stadium, they were vociferous right till the end.
Harmanpreet Singh acknowledged that, “It was amazing. This is what pleases a player, even during tough times. Big thanks to the crowd for supporting us right until the final whistle, despite such a scoreline.”
India will be looking to break the rut, when they go up against Belgium on 14th February.
What was the result of the India vs Argentina match?
India lost 0-8 to Argentina in the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025–26 match in Rourkela. It was India’s joint biggest defeat in history.
What did captain Harmanpreet Singh say after the match?
Harmanpreet Singh said the team made collective mistakes and did not blame any individual. He admitted India missed their chances and Argentina capitalised on the errors.
Did India have chances in the game?
Yes, India had opportunities, including a penalty stroke in the first quarter, but failed to convert. Argentina then dominated, especially in the first half.
Who will India face next?
India will next take on Belgium on 14th February as they look to bounce back.
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Kartik Warrier, a B.Tech Mechanical Engineering student at IIT Madras, is an ardent sports enthusiast. Through Khel Now, he gets to pursue his passion by closely following Indian athletes in sports like cricket, football, badminton, hockey, and table tennis.