Moroccan coach Bado Zaki, who took over as Jordan's national team coach, has expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the 2027 Asian Cup. Zaki, who replaced fellow Moroccan Jamal Sellami, believes that Jordan has the potential to continue improving and achieving strong results in upcoming competitions. He cited the team's recent accomplishments, including their participation in the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 Arab Cup, as evidence of their progress.
Zaki, in an interview with FIFA, described his new role as a "new chapter and a new challenge" in his career. He expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to lead a team that has achieved historic success in recent years. Zaki highlighted the team's participation in the World Cup and their reach in the finals of the Arab Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup as significant accomplishments.
The Moroccan coach emphasized that Jordan's progress is not a coincidence, but rather the result of a comprehensive development in Jordanian football over the past few years. He attributed this growth to the emergence of a "golden generation" of players, improved infrastructure, and increased investment in youth development programs.
Zaki revealed that he has been following Jordan's national team for a long time and is familiar with the team's technical, tactical, and individual capabilities. He stated that his goal is to build on the team's existing strengths and achieve even better results in upcoming competitions, particularly the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
The coach also discussed the changes he made to the team's roster, which included nine new players. He explained that his selections are based on technical and physical readiness, as well as the team's needs and the stage of development. Zaki emphasized that the door is open to all players, and that performance, readiness, and ability to serve the team are the key criteria for selection.
Zaki refused to speculate about Jordan's chances of qualifying for the 2030 World Cup, stating that the focus is on the upcoming competitions, particularly the 2027 Asian Cup. He expressed his confidence in the team's abilities, citing their current strengths and experience, and emphasized the importance of continuity and long-term planning.
Finally, Zaki expressed his desire to see Jordan participate in the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco. However, he stressed that the team's focus should be on the present and the upcoming competitions, rather than looking too far ahead. Zaki concluded by emphasizing the importance of hard work and gradual progress in achieving success.
Key points
- Bado Zaki confident of Jordan's readiness for 2027 Asian Cup
- Jordan's coach emphasizes importance of continuity and long-term planning
- Zaki refuses to speculate about 2030 World Cup qualification chances
