The stadium had already emptied, the sweat in the shirts hadn't dried after a high-intensity duel when the German hockey men surrounded one of their own, who didn't seem to know what was happening to him.

A clip shared on social media shows Niklas Wellen fighting his emotions on the artificial turf.

How he collects loving nudges and nudges from his colleagues and even a kiss from Captain Mats Grambusch.

As applause erupts.

After beating Olympic champions Belgium 2-2 on Tuesday evening at the World Cup, Wellen was named “Player of the Game”.

But that didn't matter, because it was the game of his life.

In any case, it can't get any more emotional than that.

Fatherhood in the distance

For a long time, Wellen had debated whether he should take part in this championship in India.

He, the manager, the massive and technically strong goalscorer, the eminently important player for the German selection, who came fourth in the 2022 World Hockey Player of the Year election.

The 28-year-old knew the birth of his first child would fall right in the middle of his World Cup absence - and he chose the team.

For the plan to bring German men's hockey back to its former glory after a long lull in the title.

And last but not least for the chance to give his career a gold rim at what will probably be his last world championship.

One thing is already certain after the second group game: he will not forget those hours on Tuesday evening in Bhubaneswar.

"Niklas wasn't with the team at half-time because he cried tears of joy," reported national coach André Henning.

"It was a very emotional day for all of us." Before kick-off, Wellen received the happy news of the birth from home, but was unable to open the message due to the lack of cell phone reception.

During the weaker first half of the game, Wellen scored the 1-1 equalizer with a powerful shot from a tight angle.

At half-time he saw the first pictures of his newborn son.

After the restart, he continued to play well in an enormously improved team, created chances to score and just missed the target.

After the final whistle, the Krefeld player had finally arrived in emotional chaos.

"It's a great story that's much more important than the game," said Henning.

After Wellen's partner had given birth to a healthy child at home on the Lower Rhine, there was also great joy in North America with another German extra-skilled player.

The German ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl from the NHL club Edmonton Oilers has become an uncle.

Because his sister Kim is Niklas Wellen's girlfriend.

The striker has recently returned to his hometown club Crefelder HTC after two years in the Dutch elite league in Amsterdam, where he also earned his master's degree in industrial engineering and gained his first professional experience.

The CHTC is much more than just a home club for the Wellen family.

Niklas' grandfather was once chairman, his father Dirk is currently and also chairman of the league association.

Family business Rondo Food is also a major hockey financier for the club and beyond.

Dirk Wellen has already become world champion in the German age group national teams.

He has this title ahead of Niklas, who won Olympic bronze in 2016.

For Niklas Wellen and colleagues it is this Friday in the final group game against South Korea in a long-distance duel against Belgium about the direct quarter-finals.

Otherwise, the German selection will have another game in the so-called “crossover round”.

So one more game during a World Cup that should be the tournament of his life for Wellen.