A pall of deep sadness and suppressed anger hung over the Jordanian national team and its players after the final whistle of the 2025 Arab Cup final against the formidable Moroccan team at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar. These intense emotions followed a marathon and thrilling match that ended with a 3-2 victory for the Atlas Lions, leaving the Jordanians with the silver medal.
Rejection of the commemorative photo protocol
In a scene reflecting the immense ambition of the players and their burning desire to win gold, the Jordanian national team players refused the tournament organizers' request to pose for official commemorative photos after securing second place. Despite administrative efforts to complete the usual protocol for such international events, the bitterness of defeat in the final moments and the disappointment of missing out on the title prevented this. The players left the field with visible signs of distress, preferring to avoid the photographers' lenses during those difficult moments.
Ali Alwan steals the spotlight despite the loss
Despite losing the team title, the Jordanian national team emerged with notable individual achievements, as star player Ali Alwan won the Golden Boot award as the top scorer of the Arab Cup. Alwan found the net six times throughout the tournament, cementing his status as one of the most prominent strikers in Asia and the Arab world, and continuing the strong performances he delivered in previous tournaments.
The Lusail Stadium curse repeats itself for the Jordanian team
This loss carries an added psychological weight for the current generation of Jordanian footballers, as it marks their second consecutive defeat in a final held at the same venue, Lusail Stadium. This brings back memories of the last Asian Cup final, when the Jordanian national team, Al-Nashama, reached the final in an unprecedented historical achievement, only to be defeated by the host nation, Qatar, and lose the title. The loss in the Arab Cup final against Morocco further cements a kind of "curse" at this World Cup stadium, despite the heroic performances the team delivers each time they reach this advanced stage.
The importance of the event and the status of Jordanian football
This match is of paramount importance given the caliber of the opponent. The Moroccan national team is currently considered among the world's elite after their historic achievement in the 2022 World Cup. Jordan's ability to keep pace with them and score two goals against them reflects the tremendous progress Jordanian football has made in recent years. The Jordanian team has proven that their qualification for the finals is no longer a fluke, but rather the result of accumulated technical and tactical work, making them a force to be reckoned with in Arab and Asian football. They now await the culmination of these efforts with a title worthy of this golden generation.
