Harmanpreet Singh flung a low, powerful flick to beat the Dutch goalkeeper, halve India’s deficit, and raise the team’s hopes. He then sprinted back to the dugout, lay down and got a massage on his aching back. Just as he returned a couple of minutes later, his teammates lost the ball in the middle, the Netherlands launched a blistering counter, and Thijs van Dam restored the two-goal cushion.

Another comeback wasn’t to be. India lost 3-1 to the Olympic champions. But Argentina handed them a semifinal lifeline after they beat England 3-1. This means if India beat Argentina on Monday, and England lose to the Netherlands, they can still qualify for the semifinals if they can maintain a higher goal difference.

Craig Fulton & Co., however, will look back at Saturday’s game with melancholy.

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There was always something holding India back at this World Cup. They had the bursts, the fast starts, the spells when they looked capable of taking on anyone. But they never quite got the handbrake off.

A look back at the Indian Men’s Team’s Round 2 clash against the Netherlands at the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026. 🏑🏆

The result went the other way, but the battle continues. We regroup and get ready for Argentina on Monday. 🇮🇳💪#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame… pic.twitter.com/t2vPXuVUKe

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 22, 2026

Against the Netherlands, that was exposed more starkly than it had been all tournament.

India had more of the ball – 61.6 percent possession. Had more circle entries – 20 to the Netherlands’ 16. Won more penalty corners – 7 to 4. But none of it mattered much.

The Netherlands looked in control even when they were without it, comfortable enough to let India circulate possession in areas that did not really hurt them and confident that the openings would eventually come. It was a lesson in the difference between possession and control.

“Three quarters we played very well,” Harmanpreet told the broadcasters after the match. “We managed the ball and defence-wise, we did good things. But we have to stay focused and consistent for 60 minutes. Last quarter, we made the same mistakes. They scored from our mistakes only.”

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Harmanpreet had a point. India were competitive for long periods. Manpreet Singh, as he has done throughout this World Cup, put his body on the line as the first line of defence, rushing out to close down the Dutch drag-flicks and disrupting their routines. Shilanand Lakra did well to run behind the defence and create passing channels. There were spells when India moved the ball well and looked capable of stretching the Netherlands.

Devil in the details

But too many of their most influential players never managed to impose themselves on the game, as has been the case through the campaign.

Harmanpreet, nursing back pain, was sparingly used and, although he scored India’s only goal of the match, struggled to leave his imprint. Hardik Singh, whose ability to carry India through midfield can change the rhythm of a game, was similarly unable to establish himself. Abhishek Nain, one of India’s most dangerous attacking outlets, was effectively marked out of the contest.

India have had their moments – sometimes very good ones. But they have rarely been able to sustain them. (Hockey India)

The Netherlands never looked particularly flustered.

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That was the most revealing part of the evening. India could have the ball, but the Dutch decided where India could have it. They could allow possession without surrendering control. They were patient, organised and sufficiently comfortable to wait for the moments when India lost their structure.

And when the first goal came, in the 41st minute from Duco Telgenkamp, it felt less like a sucker punch than the eventual reward for a team that had gradually taken ownership of the game.

That is perhaps the most uncomfortable takeaway from a 3-1 defeat. India may not be miles away from the best teams in the world. They can play with them. They can make them defend. They can even have more of the ball. But they are still some distance from making those teams play on India’s terms.

That has been the story of this World Cup in many ways.

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India have had their moments – sometimes very good ones. But they have rarely been able to sustain them. Against Pakistan, the chaos worked in their favour. Against the Netherlands, there was no chaos to exploit. The Dutch simply kept their shape, absorbed the pressure and waited.

The handbrake never quite came off.

And that is what the Netherlands have shown India: the gap between being competitive against the big nations and actually controlling a game against them remains a significant one.

India can hurt the best teams. They can match them for stretches. But at this World Cup, they have rarely made the best teams uncomfortable for an entire 60 minutes.

Against the Netherlands, they had more possession but less control. And perhaps no statistic better captures where Indian hockey stands today.