FIH Junior World Ranking: 1

How they qualified: 1st place – FIH Hockey Junior World Cup South Africa 2022

Junior World Cup history: 2022 – 1st, 2016 – 2nd, 2013 – 1st, 2009 – 1st, 2005 – 3rd, 2001 – 4th, 1997 – 1st, 1993 – 5th, 1989 – 4th

In nine women’s Junior Hockey World Cups, the Netherlands have only failed to secure podium finishes on three occasions, winning a record four golds (Seongnam 1997, Boston 2009, Mönchengladbach 2013, Potchefstroom 2022), one silver and one bronze. With such an incredible track record and a fabulous pool of wonderfully talented players, you can expect the Jong Oranje Dames to be amongst the front runners once again. They were in sparkling form at the 2022 edition in Potchefstroom, scoring 49 goals and conceding just once on their way to the title. A bronze medal at the 2022 EuroHockey Junior Championship in Ghent was perhaps below expectations, ensuring they will be suitably motivated to re-affirm their status as the best in the world here in Santiago. The squad selected by head coach Dave Smolenaars, who is aiming to win his second successive women’s Junior World Cup, contains a handful of players who competed in the 2022 edition, including goalkeeper Sofia ter Kuile and Jip Dicke, who top scored in Potchefstroom with 13 goals. The team also features Lilli de Nooijer, daughter of Netherlands all-time great Teun de Nooijer and former Germany Olympian Phillipa Suxdorf.