On September 24, 2000, the Argentine women’s field hockey team, competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, needed to win to survive in the tournament. In front of them was the Netherlands, one of women’s field hockey powerhouses.
They decided to give it their all and, to represent that commitment, put the image of a lioness, hand-drawn by forward Inés Arrondo, on their shirt. The match ended in a 3-1 win for Argentina, earning them not only their first-ever Olympic final but also their own place among Argentine sports legends.
It was the birth of Las Leonas.
That silver in Sydney was not a fleeting moment of magic, but the kickstart of over 25 years of glory and unmatched competitive spirit.
With the field hockey World Cup set to launch on August 15, we took a dive into how far the team has come since and what to expect this coming tournament.
