Jordan debuts at World Cup despite star striker's injury.

Jordan is set to make its historic debut at the FIFA World Cup, building on recent triumphs at the 2023 Asian Cup and the 2025 Arab Cup. This marks the nation's first-ever appearance at the global tournament, following a qualifying campaign where they netted 32 goals, their highest tally in a single qualifying era. However, the squad will lack forward Yazan Alnemat, who scored eight of those goals but will be absent due to an ACL injury sustained in the Arab Cup quarterfinals last December.

Head coach Jamal Sellami, a former Moroccan international who played at the 1998 World Cup, has guided the team, known as the Al-Nashama or "noble ones," into the spotlight since taking charge in June 2024. Sellami aims to inspire hope and ambition among the fans by dreaming of a run comparable to Algeria's upset of Germany in 1982, Cameroon's victory over Argentina in 1990, or Senegal's win against France in 2002. During a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, Sellami noted that Morocco's semifinal finish at the last World Cup provides a sense of belief, acknowledging that while reaching the semifinals is ambitious, surprises are common in major competitions.

The squad, ranked 63rd by FIFA, features Mousa Tamari as a key player to watch. Sellami has constructed a disciplined unit that leverages creative forward talent to execute lightning-quick transitions. Although the loss of Alnemat is significant, the coach insists the team will find a balanced combination to remain dangerous to opponents. Ali Olwan, who has recovered from an Achilles injury, is expected to step into the starting lineup. Jordan enters the tournament with a strong recent form, having previously reached the Asian Cup final against hosts Qatar and the Arab Cup final against Morocco, where they narrowly lost 3-2 after extra time.

Mousa Tamari, a key figure for the Jordan national team, has already proven his worth by netting nine goals during the qualification campaign, showcasing the depth of options available to the coaching staff in their attack.

Often referred to as "Jordan's Messi," the 28-year-old midfielder is expected to be a major nuisance for opposing defenses, operating primarily from the right wing. His club form has been equally impressive; as the sole Jordanian representative in one of Europe's top five leagues, Tamari has had a standout season with Rennes in France. He recorded seven goals and 11 assists across 36 appearances in the Ligue 1.

His impact extends significantly to the international stage, where he has scored 23 goals in 76 caps for Jordan. If the team hopes to challenge the odds at the upcoming World Cup, they will need to lean heavily on this local hero.

The road ahead in Group J presents a mix of daunting and manageable challenges. The defending champions, Argentina, await the team in their final group match, creating a unique scenario where Lionel Messi faces his namesake from Jordan. In their opener in San Francisco, Sellami's squad will take on Austria, who are making their first World Cup appearance since 1998.

While Jordan holds the lowest ranking in their group, their most promising path to success may lie in their match against Algeria, the second-lowest-ranked side. The African team arrives with strong momentum, having secured eight victories in qualifying and counting on Riyad Mahrez to deliver crucial goals and playmaking.

The schedule for Jordan's group stage matches is as follows: - June 16: Austria versus Jordan, held in the San Francisco Bay Area, US, kicking off at 9pm (04:00 GMT on June 17). - June 22: Jordan hosts Algeria in the San Francisco Bay Area, US, with kickoff at 8pm (03:00 GMT on June 23). - June 27: Jordan takes on Argentina in Dallas, Texas, US, starting at 9pm (02:00 GMT on June 28).

According to Al Jazeera's analysis, Jordan is likely to be battling for third place in their group, though advancing to the knockout stages may prove difficult.

The full squad for the tournament includes goalkeepers Yazeed Abulaila from Al-Hussein, Abdullah al-Fakhouri from Al-Wehdat, and Noor Bani Attiah from Al-Faisaly. The defensive line features Abdallah Nasib of Al-Zawraa, Ehsan Haddad, Saed al-Rosan, Saleem Obaid from Al-Hussein, Yazan al-Arab of FC Seoul, Mohammad Abualnadi from Selangor, Husam Abu Dahab, Anas Banawi from Al-Faisaly, Mohannad Abu Taha from Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, and Mohammad Abu Hasheesh from Al-Karma.

In midfield, the roster includes Noor Al-Rawabdeh from Selangor, Nizar al-Rashdan from Qatar, Ibrahim Saadeh from Al-Karma, Rajaei Ayed, Mahmoud Al-Mardi from Al-Hussein, Amer Jamous from Al-Zawraa, and Mohammad al-Dawoud from Al-Wehdat.

The attacking unit is comprised of Mousa Tamari from Rennes, Odeh al-Fakhouri from Pyramids, Mohammad Abu Zrayq from Raja Casablanca, Ali Azaizeh from Al-Shabab, Ibrahim Sabra from Lokomotiva Zagreb, and Ali Olwan from Al-Sailiya.