He was top scorer at the 2014 World Cup, and a major reason for Argentina’s climb up the world rankings. It is little wonder that players and fans have recognised the prowess of Peillat.

Gonzalo Peillat is the new face of hockey for the Argentine men’s team. At the 2014 Hockey World Cup in The Hague he was top goal scorer with 10 goals from a total of 14 shots, all of them perfectly struck drag flick penalty corners. International colleague, Lucas Rey, commented: “When you have a player like Gonzalo in the team, you just have to try to win the penalty corners, he will usually score.”

Now, the 22-year-old Argentinian has been voted the 2014 FIH Rising Star of the Year. We caught up with Gonzalo and asked him what the award meant to him and what the future held for the Argentina men’s team.

What does it mean for you to be voted 'Rising Star of the Year’?

It is an amazing honour to be voted the Rising Star of the year. I found out via Twitter because I was traveling to India at the time to join my team – the Kalinga Lancers in the Hero Hockey India League. I didn’t expect it. I think it is a really nice prize for players to win because it means other players and the fans have recognised you.  

Can you sum up the past 12 months of hockey from your point of view?

This year was very special for our national team. We performed well in the World League and we played a lot of test matches against Belgium, Scotland, Spain, England, Holland and Germany, which was all good preparation for the World Cup. The bronze medal at that event was the best finishing position for Argentina in years. We moved up the World Ranking too, to sixth place. It was the best year for Argentina men’s hockey.

Who has provided the motivation or been the role model for you?

My family has always played hockey. My dad was ‘keeper and my mother was a forward. From my childhood, I always liked to play hockey on the sideline, while watching my parents play matches. I also had a lot of friends who played so we could play together in the same team.

At what age did you start playing hockey?

I started playing hockey when I was four years old. I played for Mitre Club in Buenos Aires.

How often do you train a week and what sort of training sessions do you do?

When we are in Argentina training with the national team, we train five days a week. We train on the hockey pitch and in the gym. When I am in Europe (Gonzalo plays for HGC in the Netherlands) I train three times a week on the hockey pitch, but I also follow the national team’s training plan which involves fitness work as well as hockey skills. I also train for 30 minutes every session on penalty corners.

How do you explain the improvements made by the Argentina men’s side over the past few months?

Although Argentina has a young team, we have become very experienced as well. There is also an experienced backbone to the side. In addition, we have several players who compete for European clubs and that has helped us to keep growing and developing our game.

What are the aspirations for the Argentine men’s team over the next few months?

The next big tournament for us is the Hockey World League Semi-Final which is going to be held in Argentina, because it is a qualification route for Rio 2016. And it's a great tournament in which we will play the best teams in the world. Argentina must keep growing and playing with the best teams as that is the only way to grow.  

And what are your own personal dreams for your hockey career?

My personal dream is to win an Olympic medal.

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