Even the most optimistic observers in January 2026 did not expect the loan deal for Hamza Abdel Karim, a young striker from Al Ahly of Egypt with only 360 goalless professional minutes to his name, to become one of the most successful bets by Barcelona’s sporting management.
Hamza Abdel Karim has proven that raw talent only needs the right environment to unleash its full potential and reveal his extraordinary goal-scoring capabilities against opponents.
Hamza Abdel Karim: An explosion from youth to the World Cup
According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport," despite his quiet start, Catalan reports confirmed that he possessed exceptional qualities that were clearly evident with the Egypt Under-17 national team (12 goals in 21 matches).
He quickly proved this with the youth team (Juvenil A) under the guidance of Pol Planas, scoring 6 goals in just 547 minutes, spread across the league, the cup, and the Youth Champions League.
This brilliance earned the promising Egyptian striker a ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with the Pharaohs, and prompted the Blaugrana management to immediately activate the final purchase clause.
Sacrificing his vacation and Hansi Flick’s trust
The report noted that the real turning point was the decision by the 18-year-old striker to give up his summer vacation and join the first-team camp early.
This sacrifice allowed him to impress the German head coach, and Hamza repaid the faith by scoring 4 goals in just 241 minutes, leading the scoring in the pre-season friendlies for the new season, making the best possible use of the numerical gap at the center-forward position.
Securing Hamza Abdel Karim with a terrifying release clause
The Egyptian star’s rapid rise forced Barcelona’s management to act to protect their new gem; the club is seeking to extend his contract and improve its financial terms, while raising the release clause from 15 to 150 million euros.
This measure was taken to cut off any external temptations, and despite the current transfer market being crowded, renewing Hamza’s contract remains a strategic priority for Barcelona in the medium and long term.
Testimonials from "La Masia" alumni: A killer instinct and an investment for the future
The mark left by the promising Egyptian striker received special appreciation from former Barcelona academy alumni of African descent, as follows:
Jean-Mary Dongou: "He has an innate goal-scoring instinct and high-level movement inside the box, and although he needs to develop some of his instinctive touches, his qualities are clear."
Keita Baldé: "I followed Hamza and found him to be a very promising player. The best option for Barcelona is to keep him as a substitute who gradually develops to become the team’s main striker in the future."
Keita clarified his preferred option to replace Lewandowski and Ferran, saying: "If we cannot sign Julian, I would choose Lautaro and keep Hamza as a backup option so he can develop gradually."
