Nashama given hero welcome

AMMAN — Jordan welcomed its national football team, "The Nashama", in a grand ceremony held at the Amman International Stadium on Monday night.

The stands of the stadium were filled with a jubilant crowd who had gathered for the official reception organised by the Jordan Football Association (JFA) under the banner "Welcome home Nashama". 

The event celebrated the team's historic achievement of reaching the final of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

The festivities at the Amman International Stadium featured a variety of artistic performances, including contributions from the bands of the Jordan Armed Forces - Arab Army. 

The ceremony began with a minute's silence to honour the souls of the Gaza martyrs.

Attendees proudly waved flags, donned shimag (traditional keffiyeh) and cheered "Welcome, Champions of Asia".

The players were transported from Queen Alia International Airport to the stadium, where crowds lined the streets to welcome them.

Earlier in the day, HRH Prince Ali, the regent, received the national football team at Queen Alia International Airport on their return home after their remarkable performance in the AFC Asian Cup finals.

During the reception at the Queen Alia International Airport, Prince Ali said that “the “stars” of the national team had brought joy to the hearts of all Jordanians”, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Prince Ali said, “The team’s performance proved that nothing is impossible in life”. He also encouraged the team to focus on the World Cup qualifiers and the AFC U-23 Championship.

 Prince Ali also commended the coaching staff, led by Moroccan Hussein Amotta, for their efforts which has had a positive impact on the team’s performance.

The reception featured the presence of HRH Princess Rym Ali, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, Senate President Faisal Fayez, Lower House Speaker Ahmed Safadi, Minister of Youth Mohammed Nabulsi and the families of the national team players.

His Majesty King Abdullah spoke by phone on Sunday with members of the national football team, commending their outstanding performance at the Asian Cup, which concluded in Doha on Saturday, with Jordan coming in second place.

His Majesty said reaching the final and competing in the Asian Cup is a historic achievement for the national team, wishing them further success in the future. The King added that the team’s excellent performance throughout the championship reflected the high morale of Jordanians.

Despite finishing as a runner-up in the tournament, losing to Qatar 3-1 in the final match held last Saturday at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, the team’s journey had left an “indelible” mark on Jordanian sports history.