A Tale from Jordan: A Player from the German Provinces Makes the Sensational World Cup Qualification
Star Footballer Hails Extraordinary World Cup Qualification from German Region
The World Cup of 2026 has its first debutants: Uzbekistan and Jordan have virtually secured qualification in just a few hours. While an Uzbek player is now playing for Pep Guardiola, a Jordanian player has recently played for Eichstaett and Eilenburg.
Ahmad Assaf might be a familiar name only to diehard football fans or regional league enthusiasts. This 25-year-old right-back is born in Munich, showcasing some promising football talent that helped him climb the ranks from ambitious amateur to semi-professional clubs in Bavaria, Saxony, and Bremen. After six years and eight clubs, Assaf has sealed the qualification for the World Cup.
But how did this come about? Assaf was called up for the Jordanian national team for the first time earlier this year. A wild story, given the not-so-illustrious club career of the 25-year-old. Assaf now plays for the Luxembourgish second-tier club US Rümelingen. And for the Jordanian national team. On a stormy Thursday night, the "Red Arabs," so called by the Arab football team, recorded a 3-0 victory in Oman and made it to the World Cup for the first time.
The Crown Prince in the Fan Block
For Jordan, the World Cup qualification marks the fulfillment of a dream. The dream of a tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the first World Cup with 48 instead of 32 participating teams. Jordan undoubtedly benefited from the expansion of the tournament, but the small football nation has already secured qualification before Saudi Arabia even begins to calculate their chances. This is quite an impressive accomplishment for Jordan considering its modest size.
Stepping onto the World Stage
Assaf can certainly demonstrate his abilities on the big stage. The Rümelingen player was even given a starting spot in the match against Oman and managed to play for 90 minutes. After the final whistle, Assaf and his teammates could finally celebrate their World Cup qualification. The match between Iraq and South Korea, which would have determined Jordan's qualification, was only decided shortly afterwards with a 0-2 defeat by South Korea against the Asian football heavyweights.
Uzbekistan Makes its World Cup Debut
Only 450 kilometers away from Maskat, the first dream of the day came true on Thursday evening in parallel with Jordan's success. Uzbekistan has also secured its first-ever World Cup qualification.
The match between the United Arab Emirates and the "White Wolves of the Turan" was not particularly compelling, with the outcome, a 0-0 draw in Abu Dhabi, still securing Uzbekistan its first World Cup berth after 31 years of FIFA membership.
The story of the unknown player from Landshut, who went on to play for Eichstaett, Eilenburg, and Rümelingen, and eventually made it to the World Cup in North America, is yet to be written. This small World Cup hero might have a chance to exceed even the historic achievement of Jordan.
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft decision on the conclusion of a unique sports-analysis project involving a Jordanian football player, Ahmad Assaf. This project could potentially provide valuable insights, given Assaf's recent qualification for the World Cup, a milestone for both Jordan and Uzbekistan in the sports world.
