World Cups are won by teams, but they’re often decided by two or three individuals producing moments no one else can. Here are the players shaping the Hockey World Cup 2026.
## Harmanpreet Singh (India)
India’s captain has already scored twice from penalty corners in the win over Pakistan, taking his tournament tally to a level that makes him one of the most dangerous set-piece operators in the competition. Full detail on that performance is in our [match analysis](india-vs-pakistan-hockey-world-cup-2026-match-analysis).
## Abhishek (India)
The young forward scored a brace in the same match, showing the kind of composure in open play that complements Harmanpreet’s set-piece threat perfectly. Together they form the core of India’s attack, detailed in our [squad guide](hockey-world-cup-2026-india-squad).
## Hardik Singh (India)
India’s vice-captain scored his maiden World Cup goal via a penalty stroke against Pakistan, a sign of a midfielder growing into the biggest moments.
## Watch out for the co-hosts and Germany
Belgium and the Netherlands both have home-crowd momentum behind their most experienced penalty-corner specialists, while Germany’s title defence leans heavily on the tactical discipline that won them gold in 2023. Full context on how these teams stack up is in our [teams to watch](hockey-world-cup-2026-teams-to-watch) feature.
## Why individual form matters more this year
Because the new crossover format carries results forward, explained in our [format breakdown](hockey-world-cup-2026-new-format-explained), a single big performance in the pool stage, like Harmanpreet and Abhishek’s combined four goals against Pakistan, can shape a team’s entire route to the semifinals.
For our full staff predictions on who ends up on the podium, read [medal predictions](hockey-world-cup-2026-medal-predictions).