A Mind Shaped by Football,
a Voice Beyond the Game

Few voices in football storytelling combine on-the-ground tactical expertise with a deep understanding of media and digital strategy quite like Yanal Malkosh. A Jordanian-American writer, journalist, and football analyst, Yanal doesn’t just observe the game — he decodes it. He speaks from inside the heartbeat of football, yet his voice carries far beyond the pitch.

For over a decade, Yanal has worked at the intersection of football’s inner workings: where team strategy meets narrative, where matchday pressure meets long-term vision. Whether inside national team camps or behind the lens of a major tournament broadcast, his focus has always remained the same — sharp, grounded, and deeply human.

He began with the Jordan Football Association, where he played multiple roles. As Media Officer, he transformed the federation’s digital voice, launched its first-ever platform dedicated to women’s football, and helped modernize its approach to global visibility. As Video Analyst, he contributed directly to technical preparations, including Jordan’s historic victory over reigning champions Australia in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup — a moment that helped propel the team to the Round of 16 and cemented Yanal’s role as a trusted football mind.

But perhaps the defining chapter in his early career came with the arrival of Ray Wilkins, the late Chelsea legend and assistant to Carlo Ancelotti. Amidst a complex system, Wilkins recognized in Yanal something rare: a tactical clarity, an intellectual hunger, and a respect for the craft. After a series of deep football discussions, Wilkins personally requested Yanal to join his coaching staff. It wasn’t just an endorsement — it was a moment of validation. The mentorship of a figure revered at the highest levels of football left Yanal with lasting lessons in leadership, simplicity, and the elegance of precision.

Beyond the bench and briefing room, Yanal’s career has always been underpinned by storytelling. His work in tournament media operations — from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup — showed his ability to manage the game’s moving parts while keeping its heart intact. Whether coordinating press conferences, training media teams, or managing tunnel access on matchday, he moved fluently between global standards and local authenticity.

That balance — of operational excellence and narrative depth — gave rise to Outside the Box, his independent platform where analysis meets artistry. Here, Yanal brings football to life not through volume, but through vision. He shines light on the overlooked, the undervalued, the moments between the moments.

What makes him distinct isn’t just the depth of his knowledge or the breadth of his experience — it’s the rare fusion of both. Few analysts have stood in team huddles one day and backstage with broadcasters the next. Fewer still can translate those moments into stories that resonate far beyond the sport.

In an era where football coverage is increasingly shaped by algorithms, click-bait headlines, and commercial noise, Yanal offers something different: substance over spectacle. His voice is a reminder that football is still a human story — one of identity, intention, and the quiet genius that happens off-camera.

Because some of the most meaningful insights aren’t found just inside the box.
They’re found beyond it.