فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Since his appointment as head coach of the Jordanian national football team in June 2024, Moroccan coach Jamal Salami has stated that reaching the 2026 World Cup is “a dream that can elevate Jordanian football to unimaginable heights.”
Under his leadership, the Jordanian team, known as “Al-Nashama,” has shown steady progress and become a strong contender for one of the two direct qualification spots from Group B in the third round of the Asian qualifiers. Jordan is set to face Oman in Muscat on Thursday, followed by a home match against Iraq five days later in Amman.
If Jordan defeats Oman and Iraq loses to South Korea, Jordan will qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in its history.
Before departing for the final training camp in Dammam, Salami told a television interview, “We will not allow anyone to take away our dream of reaching the World Cup. We have two decisive and historic matches ahead against Oman and Iraq, especially if Iraq stumbles against their guest South Korea.”
The Jordanian Football Association appointed Salami to succeed his compatriot Hussein Ammouta, who led Jordan to its best-ever achievement by finishing second in the 2023 Asian Cup behind Qatar.
Former international player and current coach of Al-Salt club, Haitham Al-Shboul, told AFP that relying on the Moroccan coaching school was a wise choice that complements previous successes under national coach Mohammad Awad, who won gold medals at the 1997 Beirut and 1999 Amman Arab Games, and the renowned Egyptian coach Mahmoud El-Gohary, who led Jordan to its first Asian Cup appearance in China 2004.
Al-Shboul noted that Salami “aims to achieve two goals with one effort: fulfilling the dream of the Jordanian people and accomplishing a significant personal milestone that enhances his coaching career.”
He also praised Salami’s ability to overcome difficult circumstances during the qualifiers, including multiple absences of key players due to injuries.
Since taking charge, Salami has led Jordan in 12 official and friendly matches, achieving 4 wins, 7 draws, and only 1 loss, according to the Jordan Football Association records.
Salami aims to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the 2014 Brazil World Cup, where Jordan lost a playoff against Uruguay—0-5 at home and 0-0 away under coach Hossam Hassan. Jordan’s participation in World Cup qualifiers dates back to the 1986 Mexico tournament.
The current Jordanian squad includes 12 professional players, notably the quartet of Mousa Tameri (France’s Rennes), Yazan Al-Naimat (Qatar’s Al-Arabi), Ali Alwan (Malaysia’s Selangor), and Yazan Al-Arab (South Korea’s Seoul FC).
Former Jordanian captain Baha Abdulrahman emphasized that these players have gained significant experience through their professional careers. He said, “Jordan is fortunate to have this group of professionals. They possess great energy, a strong sense of responsibility and commitment, and have presented themselves with high professionalism.”
Abdulrahman, who earned 152 international caps and scored 7 goals, added, “This current team is the best generation in Jordanian football history. It is now a formidable contender in Asia after finishing runner-up in the Asian Cup and nearing World Cup qualification. All possibilities are open against Oman and Iraq, but Jordan’s chances are the strongest in the group.”
Yazan Al-Naimat leads Jordan’s scoring in the current qualifiers with 8 goals, followed by Mousa Tameri with 7 and Ali Alwan with 6.
Jordan arrived in Muscat after an intensive training camp in Dammam, where they played a friendly match against Saudi Arabia, losing 0-2.
The team suffered a major blow with the injury of captain and defender Ihsan Haddad, who tore his Achilles tendon during warm-up before the friendly match against Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Nizar Al-Rashdan and Mahmoud Mardi are absent due to accumulated yellow cards.
On the other side, Oman’s coach Rashid Jaber relies on a group of players who have revived the team’s competitive spirit, including forwards Issam Al-Subhi and Mohsen Al-Ghasani, and midfielders Salah Al-Yahyai, Jamil Al-Yahmadi, Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri, and Zaher Al-Aghbari. Goalkeeper Fayez Al-Rashidi is expected to start, replacing Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini, who suffered a hand injury about two weeks ago.
Oman held a local training camp and played a friendly match against Lebanon, winning 1-0 last Wednesday.
This article highlights Jordan’s ambitions to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, relying on Moroccan coaching expertise, while outlining the challenges and opportunities facing the team in the decisive Asian qualifying stage.
