Pol AMAT (Spain)

Pol Amat - Spain 
Date of Birth:  18 June 1978 (30)
Position: Forward

”Pol Amat is the Ronaldinho of hockey”, exclaimed Spanish coach Maurits Hendriks some years ago.

It is not difficult to understand why the legendary tactician would make such a remark. He is inspirational and unpredictable, capable of producing moments of near genius in key moments. His electric pace and incomparable goal scoring ability has made him one of the world’s most feared strikers.

Alongside Santi Freixa and Edi Tubau, Amat is also one-third of arguably the best front line in international hockey. Freixa and Tubau are wonderful talents in their own right, but few would argue that Amat is the real star of the show.

Pablo “Pol” Amat Escude made his international debut at the tender age of 17 in 1995 before being selected for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. That year, Spain won silver with Amat playing alongside legends such as Juan Escarre and Xavi Arnau.

However, despite competing for Spain in both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympics, this remains his only Olympic medal, something that he will want to rectify in Beijing.

Arguably Amat’s finest hour came in the final of the 2005 European Nations Cup. With Spain trailing The Netherlands 2-1, Santi Freixa grabbed an equaliser with less than three minutes to go. The stage was set for Amat, who produced two goals in less than a minute to seal a 4-2 victory, giving Spain a title that had eluded them for 31 years.

Amat also scored a memorable golden goal at the 2006 World Cup when he brilliantly flicked the ball over the South Korean goalkeeper to claim the bronze medal for Spain. 

Now 30 years old and playing in his fourth Olympic Games, Pol Amat is still very much at the very top of his game. His influence in Beijing could inspire Spain all the way to Gold.