Official announcement of significant absences
The President of the Jordanian Football Association, Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, announced today (Thursday) that two national team players, Yazan Al-Naimat and Adham Al-Quraishi, will be absent from completing the journey of “Al-Nashama” in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, due to an injury that requires a long period of treatment and rehabilitation.
This announcement came as a shock to the Jordanian sports community, which had high hopes for the current generation of players to achieve the dream of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in the country's history.
General context: The World Cup dream faces challenges
This news comes at a crucial time as the Jordanian national team enters the decisive round of the Asian qualifiers. The dream of qualifying for the World Cup has long been cherished by Jordanians, with their most notable historical attempt being during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, when the Nashama (Jordanian national team) reached the intercontinental play-offs but were ultimately defeated by the formidable Uruguayan team. With the expansion of the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams, Jordanian aspirations for achieving this historic feat have soared, especially after the team's heroic performance in the recent 2023 Asian Cup, where they reached the final for the first time, placing the current squad under the spotlight across the continent.
The importance of absences and their expected impact
The absence of striker Yazan Al-Naimat, in particular, is a significant blow to the national team's attack. Al-Naimat has emerged as one of coach Hussein Ammouta's most valuable assets, thanks to his speed and impressive goal-scoring abilities, which he clearly demonstrated during the Asian Cup. His absence will create a considerable void and present a challenge for the coaching staff in finding a suitable replacement capable of compensating for his attacking prowess. The absence of this player represents a loss not only on a technical level but also on the morale of the team, which relies heavily on cohesion and experience during this crucial stage of the qualifiers.
A message of support and confidence in the future
In a post on his X platform account, Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein addressed a message of support to the players, saying: “We have followed with great appreciation the great efforts made by our sons Yazan Al-Naimat and Adham Al-Quraishi during their treatment and rehabilitation journey over the past months, and their sincere desire to join the Nashama in the World Cup qualifiers, but the injury deprived them this time.”.
He added, emphasizing his confidence in the rest of the players: “We wish them both a full recovery and a stronger return to represent Jordan in the upcoming competitions. The Nashama (Jordanian national team) always live up to the dream and the responsibility, and we are all confident in the players’ ability to honor Jordan and continue striving to achieve the dream of qualifying for the World Cup.”.
