Earlier World Cup appearances: 0
Participant to look at: Mousa Tamari
FIFA world rating: 63
Jordan are showing on the World Cup finals for the primary time, with their Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami hoping that his gamers can emulate the heroics of The Atlas Lions 4 years in the past.
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“In large competitions, many groups can shock. My nation, Morocco, reached the semifinals within the final World Cup,” the Reuters information company quoted him as saying throughout a coaching camp in Antalya, Turkiye, in late March.
“That offers us perception.”
Whereas a run to the semifinals may be slightly bit optimistic, Jordan are coming into the event on a great run of kind.
The Center East nation reached the ultimate of the 2023 Asian Cup, dropping to hosts Qatar, and likewise performed Morocco within the closing of the 2025 Arab Cup, agonisingly falling brief in a 3-2 defeat after additional time.
Jordan additionally scored 32 targets in World Cup qualifying, marking their highest tally in a single qualification marketing campaign. However eight of these targets had been scored by Yazan Alnemat, who will miss this summer time’s event because of damage.
Sellami takes Jordan into the large time
The Al-Nashama, or the “noble ones”, have developed into a big power in Arab soccer since Sellami took over as coach in June 2024 and constructed on the work of his predecessor, compatriot Hussein Ammouta.
Sellami believes the group he has constructed can ship a shock just like Algeria beating Germany in 1982, Cameroon gorgeous reigning champions Argentina in 1990, and Senegal repeating the feat towards holders France in 2002.
“These outcomes open horizons of hope and ambition for the followers, to allow them to dream,” Sellami, who performed for Morocco on the 1998 World Cup, advised Arabic sports activities channel TFK.
“And we too have the fitting to dream and to attempt to be a powerful group and current ourselves effectively,” he added.
The 55-year-old former midfielder has constructed a well-structured, disciplined group that utilises their wealth of artistic ahead expertise to hit opponents on the break with lightning-quick transitions.
Star striker misses out
Whereas Jordan’s qualifying marketing campaign provides them loads of hope for this summer time’s event, their group in North America will likely be lacking a giant a part of what made them such a power in Asian qualifying.
Ahead Yazan Alnemat contributed eight targets, however will miss the World Cup finals after struggling an ACL damage within the Arab Cup quarterfinals final December.
“Yazan is a participant who can’t be changed,” conceded Sellami. “However we’ll discover a mixture for the group that may nonetheless be harmful to the opponent, and that additionally provides us stability in our defensive efficiency.”
Alnemat’s probably substitute, Ali Olwan, has recovered from an Achilles damage sufficiently to take his place in Sellami’s prolonged squad. He contributed 9 targets in qualifying, highlighting Jordan’s depth in attacking choices.
‘Jordan’s Messi’ hopes to shine
Captain Mousa Tamari is certainly one of Jordan’s greatest attacking threats and will likely be trying to torment defenders on the fitting wing.
The 28-year-old Rennes midfielder is the one Jordan participant who competes in certainly one of Europe’s prime 5 leagues and has loved a powerful season in France, scoring seven targets and grabbing 11 assists in 36 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit.
He’s additionally been a key participant at worldwide stage, scoring 23 targets in 76 appearances for the Jordan nationwide group.
If Jordan are to upset the odd’s at this summer time’s World Cup, they might want to rely closely on the person often known as “Jordan’s Messi”.
How does Jordan’s group look?
Defending champions Argentina present formidable opposition in Jordan’s closing sport in Group J, with the actual Messi squaring up towards his Jordanian counterpart.
Sellami’s aspect will face Austria of their opening match in San Francisco, with the European nation making their first look on the World Cup since 1998.
Jordan are the lowest-ranked group of their group, however maybe their finest alternative of success will come towards the second-lowest-ranked aspect, Algeria.
The African aspect recorded eight wins in World Cup qualifying and can look to Riyad Mahrez to offer targets and assists.
Jordan’s group stage match dates and kickoff occasions:
⚽ June 16: Austria v Jordan (San Francisco Bay Space, US), 9pm (04:00 GMT on June 17).
⚽ June 22: Jordan v Algeria (San Francisco Bay Space, US), 8pm (03:00 GMT on June 23).
⚽ June 27: Jordan v Argentina (Dallas, Texas, US), 9pm (02:00 GMT on June 28).
Al Jazeera’s prediction:
A battle for third of their group, however finally, qualification for the knockouts could also be a stretch for Jordan.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Yazeed Abulaila (Al-Hussein), Abdullah al-Fakhouri (Al-Wehdat), Noor Bani Attiah (Al-Faisaly).
Defenders: Abdallah Nasib (Al-Zawraa), Ehsan Haddad, Saed al-Rosan, Saleem Obaid (Al-Hussein), Yazan al-Arab (FC Seoul), Mohammad Abualnadi (Selangor), Husam Abu Dahab, Anas Banawi (Al-Faisaly), Mohannad Abu Taha (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya), Mohammad Abu Hasheesh (Al-Karma).
Midfielders: Noor Al-Rawabdeh (Selangor), Nizar al-Rashdan (Qatar), Ibrahim Saadeh (Al-Karma), Rajaei Ayed, Mahmoud Al-Mardi (Al-Hussein), Amer Jamous (Al-Zawraa), Mohammad al-Dawoud (Al-Wehdat).
Forwards: Mousa Tamari (Rennes), Odeh al-Fakhouri (Pyramids), Mohammad Abu Zrayq (Raja Casablanca), Ali Azaizeh (Al-Shabab), Ibrahim Sabra (Lokomotiva Zagreb), Ali Olwan (Al-Sailiya).
