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Join on Telegram Rabat – In a stunning upset, the Jordan national football team defeated favorite South Korea 2-0 on Tuesday to advance to their first-ever AFC Asian Cup final. The man behind Jordan’s historic run is none other than Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta.
The 54-year-old took over the reins of the Jordanian squad in June 2023, tasked with helping the Middle Eastern nation qualify for the Asian Cup to be held in Qatar. The well-travelled manager delivered in style, leading Jordan through the group stage before masterminding knockout round victories over Iraq, Tajikistan and now South Korea.
On February 10th, Ammouta will have the chance to cap his Jordan tenure by bringing the country its first ever Asian Cup trophy when they face Qatar in the final.
Early career on and off the field
Ammouta was born in October 1969 in the small Moroccan town of Khemisset, about 90 km (55 miles) south of the capital Rabat. He began playing football professionally in 1988 with local club Ittihad Khemisset.
Later, he joined storied Moroccan club Fath Union Sport of Rabat. As an instrumental player with FUS, he helped the team win back-to-back league titles in 1993 and 1994.
His strong performances earned a call up to the Moroccan national team. In 1992, the 22-year-old represented Morocco at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Ammouta’s appearences with the Atlas Lions caught the attention of Qatari club Al Sadd, who signed him in 1997. He was crowned league champion, Emir Cup winner, and Crown Prince Cup winner. That season, he also achieved the league’s top scorer title.
Career shift from player to manager
Ammouta began his coaching career in small but humble origins by training the youth players of Ittihad Khemisset club in 2003.
Then in 2011, he became the sports director of the Qatari club Al Sadd, before being appointed as a replacement for coach Jorge Fossati in 2012.
Ammouta signed a contract with Wydad Athletic Club in January 2017 for one and a half seasons, during which he won with them the Moroccan League title and the CAF Champions League.
He was also appointed coach of the Morocco national team for the players not playing professionally abroad in December 2019, and ended up leading them to victory at the 2020 African Nations Championship held in Cameroon.
Between May and June 2023, Ammouta simultaneously led the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) football club as a technical supervisor for their last five league matches; unable to be full manager due to a rule from the Moroccan Football Federation that prohibits coaching two teams in the league during the same season.
While serving in this position, he managed to win the FAR club the Moroccan league title.
The masterful plan behind Jordan’s epic Asian Cup performance
Appointed Jordan coach in June of 2023, Ammouta’s astute defensive organization and counter-attacking style has brought remarkable success.
Displaying steadfast belief in his players, Ammouta has fostered a formidable team spirit and mental resilience. This was evident during the 2023 Asian Cup, as Jordan has consistently overcame adversity.
In the group stage, Jordan edged past their opponents through rugged determination and opportunistic attacking. Against Iraq in the Round of 16, despite falling behind, Ammouta rallied his squad to a thrilling late 3-2 victory. The quarter-final defeat of Tajikistan showcased Jordan’s gritty defending and clinical finishing.
The shrewd Moroccan-born coach devised a tactical masterplan for the semi-final with South Korea.
All while presenting himself as a composed figure with arms folded, Ammouta executed his counter-attacking approach to perfection in their historic 2-0 upset.
Reaching the Asian Cup final marks Jordan’s finest football achievement.
The architect of this success is Ammouta, whose astute leadership and winning mentality has fueled his side’s against-the-odds fairytale run. On the verge of Jordanian football history, with focus and determination, he will be plotting one more tactical triumph.
