Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami has urged his players to believe in the possibility of a surprise run at the upcoming World Cup, pointing to Morocco, who journeyed to the semi-finals four years ago as a source of motivation.
The Middle Eastern side are preparing for their first appearance at football’s biggest tournament, which will be held across North America from 11 June to 19 July.
Drawn in Group J, Jordan will face Austria, Algeria and Argentina in what promises to be a challenging debut on the global stage.
Speaking during a training camp in Antalya, Sellami highlighted the unpredictability of major tournaments, recalling the run of Morocco to the last four at the previous World Cup, where they were eventually beaten 2-0 by France.
“In big competitions, many teams can surprise. My country Morocco reached the semi-finals in the last World Cup,” he said. “That gives us belief.”
Jordan have been fine-tuning their preparations in Turkey, where they are also competing in a four-team regional tournament. They are scheduled to face Costa Rica and Nigeria, with Iran also participating. The competition was moved from Jordan due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Midfielder Noor Al-Rawabdeh acknowledged the emotional toll of events back home but stressed the need for the squad to remain focused.
“Of course we feel sad about what is happening. I hope there will be peace,” he said.
“But this is football; we moved here and we need to adapt. In the World Cup you face the unknown, so we must be ready for everything.”
Despite being considered outsiders, Jordan’s players have made it clear that they are not content simply to take part. Al-Rawabdeh admitted the excitement within the squad has been overwhelming.
“For us, we are not going just for participation,” he said. “We are aiming to go as far as we can in the tournament.
“To be honest, sometimes we don’t sleep when we think about it. It’s a dream come true for us.”
Jordan secured their place at the tournament by finishing second behind South Korea in their Asian qualifying group, earning an automatic berth.
Defender Mohammad Abu Alnadi described the opportunity as a career highlight for the squad.
“It’s truly amazing. All of us are excited. It’s one of the highest levels any player can play,” he said.
“We want to go as far as possible, like any other team, and make history again.”
Sellami believes the training camp in Antalya is a crucial step in preparing his side for the challenges ahead, particularly as they face teams with varying playing styles.
“We are preparing step by step. We’ve played against different football cultures,” he said.
“We are collecting experience and, Inshallah (God Willing), we will surprise many people.”
