Belgium’s John-John Dohmen Eclipses Barry Middleton’s Record to Become World’s Second Most Capped Player
The old warhorse of the Belgium men’s hockey team, John-John Dohmen attained a new ‘career high’ when he became the world’s second most capped men’s hockey player during the 2022-23 FIH Pro League game against Germany at Mendoza, which the Red Lions lost 2-3 in a needle affair.
The 34-year-old attacking midfielder eclipsed Great Britain’s Barry Middleton’s record of 432 international caps and now at 433 caps, is only behind Netherlands’ celebrated forward Teun de Nooijer’s record of 453 international caps. With the 2022-23 FIH Pro League and the 2023 World Cup happening it does appear to be only a matter of time before the Dohmen goes on to become the world’s most capped men’s hockey player.
Read At 422 caps, Belgium’s John-John Dohmen Closing in on Barry Middleton’s record of 432 caps
Born in Anderlecht, Dohmen took to hockey at the age of 5 at the Royal Leopold Club and subsequently had a lengthy club stint with Waterloo Ducks – he made his senior international debut as a 16-year-old in an international tie against Italy in 2004.
Dohmen has been part of Belgium’s several success stories he was part of the Belgium’s 2018 World Cup-winning team as well as an integral part of Red Lion’s 2021 Olympic gold-winning team. The experienced mdifelder had also featured in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. He captained the Red Lions at the 2016 Rio Olympics, they won a silver medal losing to Argentina in the final.
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At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he scored twice in Belgium’s 9-4 win over South Africa and also scored once in their 5-2 semifinal win over India in the final minute of play. Dohmen was also instrumental in Red Lions cornering glory at the 2020-21 FIH Pro League as well as in their runners-up finish at the 2019-20 FIH Pro League.
The attacking midfielder quite often joins his forwardline in goal-scoring acts – he has scored 32 international goals in his 18-year international career. However, he also had his share of setbacks – Dohmen had to pull out of the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneshwar after playing one game as it was initially learned that he had contracted bronchitis but was laid low by life-threatening pneumonia.
Most Capped Men Hockey Players
| Player | Country | International Caps |
| Teun de Nooijer | Netherlands | 453 |
| John-John Dohmen | Belgium | 435 |
| Barry Middleton | Great Britain | 432 |
| Dilip Tirkey | India | 412 |
| Waseem Ahmed | Pakistan | 410 |
| Jeroen Delmee | Netherlands | 401 |
