Germany meets the Netherlands in the final of the European Hockey European Championship. The “eternal” classic is something special for captain Mats Grambusch. In his last international match, he wants to put up the European Championship crown again.
Exactly when Mats Grambusch held a hockey racket in his hand for the first time, he will probably no longer know himself. It is almost certain that it was on the site of the Gladbacher HTC. The now 32-year-old hockey routine grew up more or less on the site.
Jan Wochner, Sportschau, 15.08.2025 11:40 a.m.
Grambusch is less than two kilometers as the crow flies on Saturday (16.08.2025, in the Sportschau-Liveickicker) his last of 222 international matches for Germany. This ends a remarkable national team career after 14 years. It will be a very special home game in front of many friends and family for the native of Mönchengladbacher.
“I couldn’t have dreamed that or write more.the outgoing captain is happy. After two Olympic medals (Bronze 2016 in Rio, Silver 2024 in Paris), a World Cup title 2023 in India and an EM title 2013, Grambusch only wants to play in the club in the future. After many years in Cologne, this is now the Heimat-Verein Gladbacher HTC, which he recently led to the Bundesliga.
Final dream will come true
“That after such a long time I get such a end from the boys, I am very grateful and look forward to it”says Grambusch almost a little reserved. With his goal to 2-0 in the semi -finals against Spain, he had a decisive part in the final.
So now the final is about Europe’s hockey crown against the Netherlands – again. It is the eternal young classic in field hockey. The Olympic champion and defending champion is aiming for the European Championships and has so far been walking through the tournament. Four games, four wins. “You have everything you need in hockey”Grambusch pays respect to the opponent. However, he is “To be able to say very proudly and happily”he added “That Germany has exactly the same“.
Black-red-gold Against “Oranje”
Germany, as the current world champion, does not have to hide against the slightly favorite Dutch and builds on the home advantage, whereby traditionally many “Oranje” fans come to the Gladbach hockey park-after all, it is only 30 kilometers to the border. Europe’s largest hockey stadium, with around 10,000 seats, will be completely sold out on Saturday.
“This will be a final at an incredibly high level and probably again a nice wear and tear”knows Grambusch, who will not be missing from motivation. The very narrow final defeat of Olympia 2024 in the penalty shootout has not yet been forgotten. But “Two times we definitely don’t lose a co-game against Holland”the German leader is sure.
“This will be one of the greatest games in our careers”national coach André Henning is also very anticipated: “Most of them here will probably no longer experience home-European final” With a broad breast, he then points out his personal co-statistics. He lost only two out of 11 KO games as a national coach: “We are a team that is extremely strong when it comes down to it.”
Grambusch-Kitsch on Farewell
After a long and successful international career, win the European Championship title in the last international match right on the front door – it would be the perfect farewell. And actually it would be almost too perfect, too cheesy to be true.
Grambusch’s value for the German hockey is not high enough. When the midfielder matured to the international, he pushed into a successful team under national coach Markus Weise who collected titles for titles, but the successful coach was eliminated by overwhelming football.
Three coaches in six years between 2015 and 2021 tried to build on the successes and to keep German hockey in the top of the world or to trace it there. However, it was time for André Henning 2021 to take over the title. Only the World Cup victory in 2023, then silver at the 2024 Olympics and now the European Championship final in Mönchengladbach -in unsuccessful and rich times: Mats Grambusch.
“We want to have the title, that was clear from the start”the local hero confirmed after the final. To play his last game against the Netherlands against which it “always enjoyed the most because it was always ‘the’ competitor” – Be a dream: “This is outstanding, I’m really happy”said Grambusch.