King, Jordanians voice pride in Prince Ali despite FIFA election result

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday praised the vision of HRH Prince Ali, who was among the four candidates for FIFA presidency election. 

In a phone call after the Friday election, where Gianni Infantino of Switzerland was elected FIFA president, King Abdullah commended efforts exerted by Prince Ali to reform the international football organisation and develop the sport in the region and the entire world, a Royal Court statement said. 

The King told Prince Ali that his vision and ideas in boosting football will remain a source of inspiration for those who want to make a positive change. 

His Majesty also stressed that although Prince Ali did not win the FIFA election, his dedication since he decided to run was appreciated globally for his "boldness, transparency and objectiveness" in identifying the challenges that face football internationally and striving to improve the sport. 

For his part, Prince Ali thanked the King for his support, stressing that the programme and goals he seeks to achieve in football at the international and regional levels do not stop at a certain point; rather, they constitute a fixed approach that he will always be working to achieve.

"I ran for FIFA president because I was convinced that there are many good and honest people in FIFA who are ready for reform. My campaign was always about giving voice to their aspirations and raising issues that need to be addressed. That goal has been accomplished," the prince said in a statement posted on his social media accounts after the election.

He also congratulated the new FIFA president. 

"I want to thank the member associations who made the courageous choice to stand with me in support of meaningful reform. I also want to thank all FA leaders who took time to share their ideas and greeted me with such warm hospitality in my travels around the world.

"I congratulate Gianni Infantino and I wish him all the best. Now we will see which path FIFA takes. I sincerely hope that the reforms approved today were not just a band-aid and that today's events lead to a better future for FIFA and for football," Prince Ali added.

Also on Friday, Jordanians thronged Al Hussein Youth City to voice support for Prince Ali Jordanian, attending a live screening of the election.

They argued that although Prince Ali did not win, he set an example for the genuine will to reform football's governing body.

Her Majesty Queen Rania and HRH Crown Prince Hussein were among the first to express support for Prince Ali after the election. 

"It’s not winning that makes a leader, but how committed he is to the game. @AliBinAlHussein you will always be a leading light on the field," Queen Rania tweeted. 

The Crown Prince described Prince Ali as a "model for the youth of Jordan". 

"My uncle Prince Ali, you are a role model for the youth of #‎OurJordan, and your efforts for reform in FIFA are an inspiration to all of us. Those efforts have made great and historic changes, and gave us all hope for a better future," he wrote on his official Instagram account.

Ahmad Shareef, a Jordanian journalist, said Friday's election was different from the previous one, where Prince Ali was the sole challenger of incumbent FIFA president at the time Sepp Blatter, because five candidates competed for the most powerful position in football. 

"This time, the race was very tight," he told The Jordan Times.

Shareef noted that neither Prince Ali nor Jordan lost because his efforts in developing football in Jordan and Asia are examples of how dedicated he is for the sake of the sport.

Soleen Z'ubi, the managing director of the national U-17 Women's team, said Prince Ali is the main supporter of women football in Jordan.

"His campaign focused on supporting women’s football not only in Jordan but also in the world," she added.

Farah Zaben, a member of the national U-17 Women’s team, agreed. 

She said efforts of Prince Ali encouraged many families to let their daughters take part in this game.

Ammar Douri, an Iraqi who brought his two children to support Prince Ali, said the prince worked hard for the benefit of Arab football.

"Thanks to his support for Iraqi football, our teams were able to train in Jordan when it was difficult to do so back home," he told The Jordan Times.