Overview
- Hamza Abdelkarim was named to Egypt’s 2026 World Cup squad, a selection reported late May that drew attention because he is uncapped and has only limited senior minutes for Al Ahly.
- Barcelona brought the 18-year-old to La Masia earlier this year and are reported to be set to activate a €3 million purchase option to secure him permanently.
- The club’s plan, according to reporting, is for Abdelkarim to play a key role for Barça Atlètic in 2026–27 and to join first-team preseason for evaluation once his World Cup duties end.
- Abdelkarim has already impressed at Barcelona’s youth level, scoring six goals in his first ten matches and being viewed as a penalty-box reference striker the academy lacked.
- His rapid rise has split opinion in Egypt, with supporters seeing a rare opportunity for fast development and critics warning that World Cup exposure could place heavy pressure on a largely untested teenager.