AGENCIES

Jordan will make their historic first-ever World Cup appearance on Wednesday against a resurgent Austria side ending a 28-year exile from the global stage. The debutants, whose nickname ‘Al-Nashama’ translates to ‘The Chivalrous Ones’, enter the tournament riding the crest of a historic golden wave.

Coached by Moroccan Jamal Sellami, Jordan have set no lofty goals for their maiden world stage appearance but have rapidly developed into a regional powerhouse, shockingly reaching both the 2023 Asian Cup and 2025 Arab Cup finals.

The tournament represents a monumental moment back home, where football serves as the ultimate cultural glue. When Al-Nashama play, social and regional differences are cast aside, routinely bringing the streets of Amman to a complete standstill.

However, Jordan must navigate their historic opener without some key figures. Losing dynamic forward Yazan Al-Naimat to a knee injury in December was a bitter blow following his eight goals in qualification, and Sellami has suffered further casualties since, with defender Mohammad Abu Ghosh a late call-up to replace Ibrahim Sabra.

The Chivalrous Ones were beaten 2-0 by Colombia following a 4-1 thumping by Switzerland in their final warm-up matches. But Sellami remains fiercely upbeat.

“We are proud of the team’s presence at the World Cup finals,” he told reporters ahead of the match.

“Participating in this global event is a significant opportunity to present a positive image of Jordan on the international stage.”

Jordan could catch the returning Europeans at a vulnerable moment. Ralf Rangnick’s aggressive pressing system will be missing injured midfield talisman Christoph Baumgartner. His absence forces a heavy reliance on newly recruited youngsters Paul Wanner (20) and Carney Chukwuemeka (22), who only committed to Austria in March.

Despite nursing a serious thigh injury, Baumgartner will remain with the squad as a talismanic figure on the sidelines, much like captain David Alaba did at the Euros when ruled out with a torn knee ligament.

“Rehabilitation is obviously the main focus because I help everyone most by getting fit as quickly as possible,” the RB Leipzig midfielder said.

“But beyond that, I’ll try to contribute however I can.”