Hockey India has made a significant move to strengthen its junior setup by appointing Frederic Soyez, one of Europe’s most respected hockey minds, as the new head coach of the Indian junior men’s team.
Soyez brings a wealth of international experience spanning more than three decades — first as a prolific player for France and later as a highly successful coach. The Frenchman represented France in 196 international matches, scoring 195 goals between 1995 and 2010. As a coach, he has led both the French and Spanish senior teams, guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and coached France at the Paris 2024 Games.
His junior-level success is particularly impressive. He coached France to a historic silver medal at the 2013 FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi and recently helped the French U18 side secure silver at the 2025 European Championships. He also served as High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024.
Soyez takes over from Indian legend PR Sreejesh, whose contract ended in December 2025. Hockey India sees this appointment as a key step towards building a strong talent pipeline for the 2036 Olympics, while continuing to develop homegrown coaches alongside international experts.
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey welcomed the appointment, saying, “Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials… We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we work towards our long-term vision for 2036.”
Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added that Soyez’s proven ability to build competitive teams and nurture young players makes him an ideal fit for strengthening both the junior programme and India’s overall hockey ecosystem.
This move reflects Hockey India’s strategy of blending global expertise with domestic coaching development to create a consistent playing philosophy from the sub-junior to senior levels.
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