Barcelona's Egyptian prodigy Hamza Abdelkarim eyes historic rise

 In February, FC Barcelona announced the arrival of Hamza Mohamed Abdelkarim Elsayed Selim, who joined FC Barcelona Youth (U19) on loan with an option to buy from Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly.

Fast-forward nine months and the 18-year-old striker is already part of the first team set-up and had his deal made permanent by the La Liga EA Sports giants in the summer.

The Egypt international is regarded as one of the finest talents his country has produced over the last years. Born in the capital city of Cairo on the first day of 2008, Abdelkarim took his first footballing steps at the Al Ahly academy before making his professional debut with the seniors in February 2025.

Having stood out in the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations, he earned a spot in the Egypt squad for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, bagging two goals and an assist in four appearances. He also attracted interest from several European clubs, including FC Barcelona, who moved fast to acquire his services earlier this year.

Having scored six goals in 11 games across all competitions for Barca’s Juvenile A side, he put pen to paper on a new contract through to June 2030. In the meantime, he was called up to represent Egypt in the 2026 World Cup, becoming the youngest Egyptian player to feature in the competition at the age of 18 years and 165 days.

Oozing with confidence following his World Cup participation, Abdelkarim joined FC Barcelona’s pre-season preparations under Hansi Flick. It didn’t take him long to leave his mark, as he bagged a brace in his unofficial debut that ended in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham back in July. He went on to end the pre-season preparations as Barça’s top scorer with four goals.

“I think he’s a very humble guy,” Flick said at the time. “He has an excellent mindset and gives it his all every day. That’s very important. He has a lot of potential. As a striker, you have to be in the right place when a chance arises in the box, and he’s been there.”

His displays convinced Flick to include him in his first-team plans for the 2026/27 campaign, with the German coach handing Abdelkarim his official debut in FC Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Matchday 3, with his second appearance coming in a 3-0 victory over Getafe CF on Matchday 8.

“It's a dream,” Abdelkarim said after penning his new contract. “You have to see what you can work on and improve, and that's what we do every day. I know I have to improve. I am committed and give 100 percent every day. The coach and all the coaching staff really support me and help me improve many things. The dressing room have supported me from day one. It's a family, more than just a team. I want to write history with the club.”

When he came off the bench against Rayo Vallecano, Abdelkarim became the first Egyptian to ever play for FC Barcelona’s senior team, as well as the third ever to feature in a LALIGA EA SPORTS game after Mido and Haissem Hassan. The former participated in eight league matches for Celta back in 2002/03 before embarking on a journey that saw him ply his trade at Roma, Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough among others.

As for Hassan, he first moved to Spain in 2020, when he joined Villarreal CF B. A loan spell at CD Mirandes was followed by a return to Villarreal CF, where he made two La La Liga EA Sports appearances, before another loan spell at Real Sporting and a permanent move to Real Oviedo, with whom he featured in the top flight last term. Following some outstanding displays in the World Cup, Hassan joined Scottish champions Celtic in the summer.

Now, Hamza Abdelkarim is looking to fly the Egyptian flag in la Liga. If he keeps impressing Hansi Flick, further opportunities to shine will surely come his way.