India, Jan. 4 -- "Yeah, I am the old man of the team, that's for sure," says a beaming Tom Boon.

The hockey star was a member of Belgium's golden generation of players that won their first World Cup in 2018, and the country's first Olympic gold medal, at Tokyo in 2021.

While most of his teammates from those triumphs that showcased the rise of Belgium have called time on their international careers, Boon, 35, has gone up a gear. The striker is the oldest outfield player in the Belgium line-up, but raked in 21 goals (including three hat-tricks) in the runners-up finish in the 2024-25 FIH Pro League season, and six goals in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup victory in November.

His exploits earned him the FIH Men's Player of the Year award for 20...