World Cup champions Germany and Spain go into Saturday’s Olympic men’s field hockey final hoping the coaches put their previous gold medal experience to good use.

Spain’s Dutch coach Maurits Hendriks was with the Netherlands when they won the title at the 2000 Sydney Games, while German Markus Weise masterminded the women’s team triumph in Athens four years ago.

Their wisdom will count as Germany contest their first final since winning the gold medal at Barcelona in 1992 and Spain bid for their first Olympic title after losing the deciders in 1980 and 1996. “It will be about strategy and how we put that into practice,” said Spanish veteran Pol Amat. “I hope Maurits bring us luck. After all, he knows what it takes to win a gold.”

Hendriks, however, stressed the final was not about coaches, but the players. REUTERS