Jordan play at their first World Cup determined to show they belong at football's top table and with Lionel Messi's Argentina presenting the most daunting of prospects.

Jamal Sellami's side face Austria in a tough Group J on their World Cup debut on June 16, followed by Algeria and then reigning champions Argentina in their final pool game in Dallas.

The tournament expanding to 48 teams from 32 helped propel Jordan, a country of 12 million people with a creaking football infrastructure, to their maiden finals.

"We have the right to dream," the former Moroccan international Sellami told AFP.

"We are not thinking like a team satisfied with mere participation."

Jordan had eight wins, five draws and three defeats from their 16 Asian qualifying matches, coming second behind South Korea in their group to make a slice of history.

Huge celebrations erupted in Amman, fans driving through the capital honking their horns and chanting while others waved the national flag in triumph.

It was a second major milestone for the national side in 16 months, having reaching their first Asian Cup final.

They were beaten 3-1 by hosts Qatar in the continental decider in February 2024 but were hugely impressive in getting there against all expectations under their much-admired previous coach Hussein Ammouta.

The exciting attacking duo of Yazan Al-Naimat and Mousa Al-Tamari were pivotal in that run, terrorising the South Korean defence in a 2-0 win over Son Heung-min's side in the semi-finals.

But Naimat will miss the World Cup in North America with a serious knee injury, one of several injury blows to the Jordan squad.

Jordan's Asian Cup heroics and World Cup qualification came against the backdrop of deep-rooted problems in domestic football.

Jordan's top division, the Pro League, is professional, but outside the traditional big teams some clubs struggle to pay their wages.

'Injuries number one opponent'

The undoubted star of the Jordan squad is the winger Tamari.

Dubbed "Jordan's Messi", he plays for Rennes in France's top flight, where he scored five goals and provided the same number of assists this season.

The 28-year-old is pacy, skilful and hard working, hitting 21 goals for his country in 70 games.

With the all-action Naimat out and striker Ali Olwan also under an injury cloud, Tamari will carry a heavy burden.

The 55-year-old Sellami, who played for Morocco at the World Cup in France in 1998, said: "Injuries are our number one opponent, but we will not use them as excuses.

"We will prepare properly and aim for a respectable performance.

"The whole world wants to see who we are, and that in itself is motivation."

As for facing Messi, Sellami said: "We don't know if football will produce another player like him.

"Of course the players will want to take pictures with him."