'Wasn't good enough': India coach Craig Fulton reacts to disastrous Argentina defeat at FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026
(Courtesy : Hockey India)
India’s chances of advancing further ended with the loss to Argentina
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
The Indian men’s hockey team’s campaign at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 came to a disappointing end on Monday as Craig Fulton’s side went down 3-5 to Argentina in a must-win Pool E clash in Amstelveen.
The defeat not just confirmed India’s exit from the tournament but also extended the country’s 51-year wait for a podium finish at the event.
Sitting at the bottom of Pool E, India needed a big win against Argentina in their final pool match to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
Instead, the Men in Saffron endured a chastening evening at the Wagener Stadion, conceding twice inside the opening six minutes and never quite recovering, despite a late fightback that brought the scoreline closer than the run of play suggested.
Related: Who will India face in the seventh-place match at Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
Speaking after the match, a clearly disappointed Fulton didn’t shy away from the reality of the result.
“Disappointing. I think we didn’t want to have the start we had, but it happened,” he said, reflecting on India’s sloppy opening exchanges that gifted Argentina an early cushion.
The coach did find some positives in his side’s response, pointing to the manner in which India clawed their way back before the break. “I’m glad we got back into the game 2-1. Half-time came at a good time, we regrouped,” he added.
Craig Fulton admits second-half fell short
However, Fulton conceded that the momentum didn’t carry into the second half as India once again struggled to control the tempo of the contest.
“Unfortunately, third quarter was a little bit hard to manage. We didn’t play our normal fast attacking hockey,” he admitted.
There was a late twist with India finding some fluency in the closing stages and pulling two goals back to make the scoreline respectable.
“But come the last seven or eight minutes, we started to find our stride and scored two goals,” Fulton said. “It could have been a third goal and we finished 5-3 down in a big game.”
Summing up the day, the coach’s verdict was blunt. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough.”
With that loss India finished bottom of Pool E and will now face Belgium in the seventh-eighth place classification match.
That closes out a World Cup campaign in which the team conceded 16 goals in five matches. It is the leakiest defensive record at the tournament since 2010.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
How have India performed in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
India endured a disastrous campaign, failing to reach the semi-finals of the ongoing Hockey World Cup after finishing bottom of their pool in the second round and winning just two of five matches in the tournament.
Who will India face next in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
Following their elimination from the semi-final race, India will play Belgium in the seventh-eighth place classification match to close out their campaign.
What did India coach Craig Fulton say on India’s 3-5 loss to Argentina in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026?
Disappointing. I think we didn’t want to have the start we had, but it happened. I’m glad we got back into the game 2-1. Half-time came at a good time; we regrouped. Unfortunately, the third quarter was a little bit hard to manage. We didn’t play our normal fast attacking hockey. But come the last seven or eight minutes, we started to find our stride and scored two goals. It could have been a third goal, and we finished 5-3 down in a big game.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has expertise across a wide range of Olympic sports. While his coverage spans the Olympic spectrum, he is passionate about Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field. Beyond his primary focus areas, Ajay is also an avid kabaddi enthusiast and closely follows the sport.