Never lose courage, it can do wonders. These are the words that all who represent their country carry with them, and the Indian men's hockey team won't be any different when they try to beat the world's best and break free from living in the past.
More than 39 years ago, on March 15, 1975, Ajit Pal Singh and his team did what no India team after that has been able to repeat - they won India's one and only World Cup, beating Pakistan in a final that took a nation's breath away.
Radio, TV and every possible means of getting information in those days of limited resources was occupied. And when Ashok Kumar's winning goal earned India victory, the streets were lit up to welcome the heroes back home.
39 years is a long time. The last noted achievement of Indian hockey was the 1980 Olympics gold at Moscow. The next 34 years have represented a barren land. But Sardar Singh and his boys will once again try to sow the seeds of joy.
At The Hague in Netherlands, India, ranked 8th, will try to redeem its lost pride. And even if a podium finish appears a distant dream, a few steps close to that elevated stage will lift the spirits of those who long for the upliftment of Indian hockey.
Hockey India has set a goal of top-7 finish for the team, and it's a realistic objective against teams like Australia, Germany and Holland, who have consistently stayed at the top since the transition to astro-turf, and the likes of Belgium, whose development blueprint has become a global benchmark.
Pakistan, whom India beat 2-1 in the 1975 final, are sadly missing from the tournament after failing to qualify for the first time in history. That makes the tournament slightly poorer on the flair quotient.
India are in Group A that is slightly tougher of the two groups with defending champions and world No. 1 Australia, England, Belgium, Spain and Malaysia the other five teams. Group B will be led by world No. 2 Germany, hosts Netherlands, New Zealand, Korea, Argentina and South Africa.
With the top two teams from each group qualifying for the semis, winning three matches is a bare minimum to be in contention. Though India are capable of surprising the best on their day, at the outset England, Spain and Malaysia appear their chief targets for victory.
The team composition has its share of experience and young blood - with Gurbaj Singh being recalled for the first time since London Olympics debacle and uncapped midfielder Jasjit Singh picked to make his debut.
In defenders VR Raghunath and vice-captain Rupinderpal Singh, India have two drag-flickers who have enjoyed relatively good success in the recent past. But the ability of young forwards like Mandeep Singh and Nikin Thimmaih in creating short corners will be as critical as Raghunath and Rupinder's success of converting those into goals.
The midfield will be governed by iconic centre-half and skipper Sardar, who, like for the past 5 years, remains the central figure in India's scheme of things.
The Indian team toured the Netherlands a few weeks ahead of the tournament to acclimatize. Temperatures were way too low for playing hockey at that time, but it's expected to be around 20 degrees Celsius during the tournament's schedule of May 31 to June 15.
But it's the temperature inside those 18 men that will be soaring on the eve of India's opening match against Belgium on May 31. And hopes of the whole nation will be attached to how the team holds its own and beats the rhetoric.
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