By The popular sport, Hockey began in the mid-1800s in Canada and among British soldiers. Hockey debuted in games in the 1908 Olympics in London, gaining prominence. In this competition England, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales competed. At the beginning of the 19th century, hockey became popular throughout the world when everybody started playing it with passion. Some of them became the best Hockey players of all time.Â
These hockey players possessed great skills, dedication, and passion for the sport and earned several awards in the competition. They didnât only make their nations proud but themselves, too. Itâs difficult to say who is the best hockey player in the world because they played in different eras and performed exceptionally in their times. So, we are picking the top 10 best hockey players of all time based on their goals. Letâs scroll down and find the legendary hockey players.
10. Teun De Nooijer
Taun de Nooijer is the first contender to be called the best hockey player ever. He is a field hockey player from the Netherlands and started his career in 1994. De Nooijer was the World Hockey Player of the Year in 2003, 2005, and 2006, setting a monumental record, and is one of the top hockey players of all time.
Goals: 219
9. Taeke Taekema
Taeke Taekema is ranked 9th on our list of the best hockey players of all time. He is a Dutch hockey player who played in over 200 international matches. During the 2007 Menâs EuroHockey Nations Championship, they struck a record 16 goals against Belgium in the semi-finals. Hence, he deserves to be called one of the top hockey players of all time.
Goals: 221
8. Bjorn Michel
One of the greatest hockey players ever, Bjorn Michel, is a German former player. Throughout his career, he participated in around 334 international hockey matches and won 307 caps. He also competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics. Bjorn also won European Championships in 1995, 1999, and 2003.
Goals: 229
7. Jorge Lombi
Jorge Lombi is the next name on our list of the best Hockey Players of all time. He is a hockey player from Argentina who started his hockey career in 1991. Jorje plays for the Hyderabad Sultans in the Indian Premier Hockey League and has won 4 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medals in international competitions.Â
Goals: 231
6. Jamie Dwyer
Jamie Dwyer, one of the greatest hockey players ever, is an Australian hockey player. He has competed in major hockey events like the Commonwealth Games, Oceania Cup, Champions Trophy, and World Cup. Jamie won 14 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze medals at these events and is among the top hockey players of all time.
Goals: 244
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5. Greg Nicol
Greg Nicol is a former South African hockey player and one of the 10 best Hockey Players of all time on our list. On 23 December 2021, Greg was designated as the head coach of the menâs New Zealand hockey team. Greg, one of the greatest hockey players ever, won 200 caps for his excellent play.
Goals: 245
4. Balbir Singh Sr.
Balbir Singh Dosanjh, also known as Balbir Sing Sr., was a former Indian hockey player and coach. Balbir, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, died on 25 May 2020. His career was very short; he played only 61 international games. Regardless, he scored more than 250 goals and a cap for every match.
Goals: 264
3. Paul Litjens
Paul Litjens is the third-best hockey player ever in the world. He played for the Netherlands and 177 matches throughout his career. Paul was the top scorer in the Olympic Games in 1976 and 1981. The penalty corner specialist and one of the best Hockey Players of all time died on 13 December 2023.Â
Goals: 268
2. Sohail Abbas
Sohail Abbas holds the second position on our list of best Hockey players of all time on this list. He is a former Pakistani hockey player who won 315 caps throughout his career. Sohail also holds an International record of 21 hat-tricks and is the second-best hockey player ever according to goals.
Goals: 348
1. Dhyan Chand
Dhyan Chand, also known as the wizard, was a former Indian hockey player. He played in the Olympic Games in 1928, 1932, and 1936 and the Western Asiatic Games in 1934, winning four gold medals. Dyan Chand is regarded as the best hockey player in the world.
Goals: 570
So, this was the list of the top 10 best Hockey Players of all time in the world. Some hockey players are no longer like Dhyan Chand and Balbir Singh Sr. If you like this blog, let us know in the comment section. Follow Sports and Scoop for more interesting blogs related to sports.Â
Who is called the God of Hockey?
Dhyan Chand is regarded as the God of hockey and known as the magician because of his ball control. Once, the authorities in the Netherlands broke his hockey stick to check if any magnet was inside, which provided superb ball control.
Who is known as the hockey tiger?
The former Canadian ice hockey player David James is called the Tiger of hockey. /span>
How did hockey become India's national game?
The Indian hockey team won 8 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals between 1928 to 1956. It outshined many other sports and became Indiaâs national game.
