HIBAPRESS – Sports
The "ignoring the handshake" scene sparked widespread controversy after the end of the 2025 Arab Cup final between the Moroccan and Jordanian national teams, which ended with the "Atlas Lions" winning 3-2 after extra time.
After the final whistle, the Moroccan national team players were keen to organize a guard of honor to console the Jordanian national team players, led by coach Tariq Al-Saketiwi, who led this initiative in appreciation of the great level presented by the "Nashama" throughout the tournament. However, the cameras captured a remarkable moment, as two players from the Jordanian national team, Hussam Abu Al-Dahab and Salem Obaid, refused to shake hands with Al-Saketiwi as they passed, as the latter tried to shake hands with Abu Al-Dahab but continued his way to the podium without returning the handshake.
This scene brought back to mind the controversy that Yazeed Abu Layla, Jordan's goalkeeper, had previously sparked after his country's match against Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals, when he criticized Saudi Arabia's captain Salem Al-Dawsari for not showing enough humility during the handshake ceremony before the match.
The fans interacted widely with those statements, especially after the spread of another video clip showing a natural handshake between the players of the two teams before the start of the match, including Salem Al-Dawsari, which many considered a denial of the deliberate ignoring narrative.
