In recent weeks we have enjoyed a wonderful European Championship in Mönchengladbach. The Dutch had to settle for silver in the end, while the Dutch women crowned themselves best in Europe for the fifth time in a row, a new European Championship record.
We look back on the European Championship with five eye-catching statistics, with leading roles for Belgian goal scorer Tom Boon, Yibbi Jansen and Dutch national team coach Jeroen Delmée, among others.
1️⃣ Dramatic goal production
There were remarkably few goals in the women’s tournament this edition. The 20 matches totaled 65 goals, a disappointing average of 3.25 goals per game. Only at the very first European Championship in history – in 1984 in Lille, France – was the average even lower (3.19). With eighteen goals in five matches, the Dutch women were the most productive team in Mönchengladbach, while France and Ireland did not exceed three goals.
Germany’s Sonja Zimmermann mourns a missed opportunity. Germany came to just seven goals this EC. Photo: Willem Vernes
2️⃣ Yibbi and the Paumen index
We already reported it on this platform after the end of the FIH Pro League: the production of Yibbi Jansen, who became top scorer of this European Championship with six goals, is slowly starting to take on Maartje Paumen-like proportions. After 99 international matches, the goal counter for the Oranje penalty-corner canon stands at 96. By comparison, Paumen – the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer with 195 goals – stood at 74 after 99 international appearances. Jansen is still only 25 years old and still has plenty of time to seriously shape the hunt for Paumen’s record.
Yibbi Jansen became top scorer at the last six international competitions . Photo: Willem Vernes
3️⃣ Boon knows no stopping
It is unfortunate that the early history of the men’s European Championship is particularly poorly documented, otherwise we would have known exactly where Belgian striker Tom Boon stood in the tournament’s perennial top scorer list. The 35-year-old striker of the Red Lions scored five goals this European Championship, one less than top scorer Gonzalo Peillat. That brings his EC production to 34 goals in 37 games, a phenomenal average of nearly one goal per EC game.
4️⃣ Milestone for Delmée
The European Championship final against Germany was the Orange men’s 100th international game under national coach Jeroen Delmée. Unfortunately, the team did not manage to give that anniversary a golden edge: Germany was too strong after shoot-outs. Delmée can present excellent figures after one hundred games as national coach. His team won 60 times, drew 26 times and suffered only 14 losses in regular playing time. The goal tally now stands at 304, the Dutch team has given up 164 goals and so far 48 players have made their appearance under the Brabant coach.
5️⃣ Worse series for the Dutch
With the draw against Germany in the EC final and the eventual loss after shoot-outs, the Orangemen maintained a remarkable run. The Netherlands faced Germany for the seventh time in a major tournament (European Championship, World Cup and Olympic Games) and once again failed to emerge victorious: that series now includes five defeats and two ties. Germany remains the Dutch team’s worst enemy. Fortunately for the Dutch, the next major tournament – the World Cup in 2026 – will be played at home and in Belgium.
National coach Jeroen Delmée. Photo: Willem Vernes
by Hockey.nl
