DOHA – Few would have picked Jordan’s Mousa Tamari to be one of the standout players at the Asian Cup in Qatar, but the energetic forward has lit up the tournament and helped guide his side into their first-ever final.
Jordan qualified for the knockout stages as one of the four best third-placed teams but since they entered the last 16, they have charted a spectacular rise, with Montpellier winger Tamari leading from the front.
In a tournament that was headlined by English Premier League stars such as South Korea’s Son Heung-min and his national teammate Lee Kang-in of French champions Paris Saint-Germain, it was Tamari who stole the spotlight in their semi-final win.
The hard-working 26-year-old is key to Jordan’s press, harrying defenders with his pace and ability to read opponents’ passing patterns to force mistakes.
It was his interception that created the first goal in their 2-0 victory over South Korea when he pinched the ball high up the pitch, while his sensational solo run minutes later wrapped up the win to set up a showdown with hosts Qatar on Feb 10.
His skills after coming through the ranks in the Cypriot First Division earned him the nickname “Jordanian Messi” and he has flourished under Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta.
“The coach instilled tactical discipline in us,” Tamari said. “He gave us confidence. We gave South Korea respect, but we pressed them from the first second. Spirit and patience are the most important things.
“But this was not an individual effort, this was a group effort. I can’t deliver this performance if the backline and midfield didn’t give me those balls. When these opportunities arise, I like to run at goal without fear and thankfully I could score a beautiful goal.”
That fearless attitude is exactly what has taken Jordan, ranked 87th in the world, to the brink of glory.
The majority of Jordan’s squad play in the Gulf. Tamari is the only player based in Europe and he hopes to chart a path for his compatriots to follow.
“Jordanian players deserve to play in Europe,” he said. “It’s good to be in the final because everyone speaks about my country in France. This is important for me and I hope we can do well in the final.”
Ammouta is one of the reasons why Jordan have shone, overcoming intense criticism following a poor record in 2023 before guiding them to the final with shock wins over Iraq and South Korea.
The Moroccan is also hopeful of seeing more Jordanian players in Europe’s top leagues and though he recognises there is work to be done back home, he hopes their success at the Asian Cup is a stepping stone.
“Before the tournament, I spoke about the issues at the club level and many players weren’t ready. However, despite that we accomplished this,” the 54-year-old said.
“We need to invest in infrastructure, in players, in football across age categories. Right now we have Mousa in the French league, hopefully in the next few years we have Jordanians in the Premier League or other European leagues.
“We need to discuss how we produce players who can play in the world’s biggest leagues and reaching the final is a building block towards that.”
Meanwhile, Son will “definitely” continue playing for South Korea, under-fire coach Jurgen Klinsmann said on Feb 8, after the skipper suggested he could end his international career following their Asian Cup exit.
But Klinsmann said he had texted Son after they left Qatar and had “no doubt” that he would continue.
“For a player like him, such an exceptional player and totally our captain and leader, it’s even more emotional to accept the fact that you didn’t win the title,” said Klinsmann.
“The next goal that he can have with us is the World Cup. He will be definitely with us in the future.” REUTERS, AFP
