Jordan Royal family wear traditional shemagh while cheering for team at Fifa World Cup
As Jordan competed in its first ever Fifa World Cup against Argentina on Saturday, the royals themselves came down to the stands while fans cheered on adorned in traditional white and red checks.
The shemagh — a scarf commonly worn by Bedouin tribes as a sign of honour, heritage and belonging, made with colours representing the Hashemite royal family — covered the San Francisco Stadium.
Jordan’s King Abdullah bin Al Hussein, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II and Princess Rajwa were among the supporters cheering on the national football team during its historic match.
The royals were also accompanied by Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II and their the Crown Prince’s daughter.
Although Jordan did not win, the Crown Prince made sure to appreciate the team’s valour on the pitch.
“We may not have earned the points, but the nashama earned the respect of the world through their character, sportsmanship, and determination. This may have been Jordan’s first Fifa World Cup, but it will not be the last. The ambition of Jordanians knows no limits.”
Nashama — meaning the “chivalrous ones” — is a nickname given to the Jordanian national football team.
Wearing his own shemagh, the Crown Prince spoke about how Jordanians across the globe were united under one set of colours and flag.
“We saw our traditional shemagh embraced with pride, our supporters recognised for their passion, and Jordanians from around the world united under one flag. We also saw friends of Jordan stand with us throughout this journey. The nashama have given twelve million Jordanians eleven role models, reminding us that nations are built through unity, hard work, and ambition.”
The appearance comes days after the Crown Prince met members of the national team ahead of the tournament. Sharing a video from the visit on social media, he wrote: “We are all behind you.”
A ‘sweet’ gesture of Arab hospitality
This is not the first time Arab unity and culture got a spotlight during the world cup. Last week, the Jordanian national team chose to showcase Arab hospitality, thanking those behind the event with a traditional sweet treat, after their defeat to Algeria.
In the changing room at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, the team expressed its admiration for the way the Fifa World Cup was organised by leaving behind a heartfelt thank-you note, a large box of kunafa and a selection of souvenirs, including keychains featuring Jordan’s red jersey and pins bearing the logo of the Jordan Football Association.
Beside the large box of sweets, the team left this message: “Thank you for making Jordan’s first Fifa World Cup experience a truly unforgettable one. Your dedication, professionalism and warm hospitality have contributed to a memorable occasion for our team and supporters.
“As a small gesture of appreciation, we are pleased to share with you some of Jordan’s traditional sweets, a taste of our rich traditions and renowned hospitality. With our sincere gratitude and best wishes. Team Jordan.”
Jordan coach ‘happy’ despite loss
Despite the team’s loss (3-1), Jordan’s coach Jamal Sellami said he was happy the country was the only team in Group J to have scored a goal against three-time world champions Argentina who had beaten Algeria 3-0 and Austria 2-0 in their previous games.
“Argentina are one of the strongest teams and have excellent players. We were the only team to score against them (in the group phase). We knew how to play against them,” he said.
“We are out of the competition but proud of what we have achieved as a first experience. We went in wanting to learn as many lessons as possible and we did that.”
Inputs from Reuters
