The reigning Champions took a long time to break down their nearest rivals, but eventually were a little more incisive in front of goal, thanks to their captain Maartje Paumen.

Surprisingly Paumen had not scored at all in the earlier matches, saying that she was saving her goals for the final - and she delivered magnificently.

The women's final between the world's best two teams was exciting for being tensed rather than spectacular until Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel scored from a rebound off de Goede's corner in the 40th minute.

“That goal just had to be scored,” Dirkse van den Heuvel said. “We had been better than (Argentina) for the entire game and if you take too long scoring, it only gets more and more difficult, so it just had to happen.”

At the final whistle, the Netherlands celebrated with a mass hug in their circle. Eight of the players earned their second straight gold medal.

“I can hardly believe it,” Midfielder Eva de Goede said. “I had a good feeling from the beginning and we played such a good first half, and the second half they (Argentina) were absolutely nowhere.”

The defeat will be especially hard to take for Argentina captain Luciana Aymar, the seven-time world player of the year, who retires after the final.

She had hoped to celebrate her 35th birthday by winning the one prize that has eluded her in her final match.

Earlier, hosts Britain beat New Zealand 3-1 to take bronze, their first Olympic medal in 20 years, winning a match played mostly in midfield in which all the goals came from set-piece penalty corners, just like in the final.