Royal Words, Final Whistle: Jordan's King Consoles a Team That Came Close in the Arab Cup Final
18 December 2025
Context of the Final and Royal Reaction
King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan, sent a message to his national team after losing the Arab Cup title 3-2 to Morocco in the final held at Lusail Stadium on Thursday evening.
In a formal post on his social accounts, the king thanked the heroes of the national team and the loyal fans, noting that they had lifted Jordan’s head and expressing best wishes for continued success in future tournaments.
Jordan had been moments away from lifting the trophy when Abdel Razak Hamdallah equalized for Morocco in the 87th minute, sending the match into extra time where Hamdallah scored the winner in the 100th minute.
Jordan had reached the Arab Cup final for the first time after beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the semi-finals.
The Jordanians will now look forward to World Cup 2026 for the first time in their history under Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami.
The king’s message underscored pride in the squad and optimism for future achievements, even as the trophy eluded them this time.
Punchline: If football had a throne, tonight Morocco sat on it while Jordan learned the slippery art of late drama. Punchline 2: The crown stays on the pedestal, but the dream of a trophy in the cabinet remains an invitation to the next chapter.
