Egyptian talent Hamza Abdelkarim taking giant leaps for Barcelona

BARCELONA: The Joan Gamper Trophy has inaugurated FC Barcelona’s league season for the past seven decades. Every August, the Catalan giants go to great lengths to line up a marquee opponent, and this year they invited the biggest club in Africa and the Arab world — Al-Ahly SC.

When the friendly was announced, few could have imagined that an 18-year-old Egyptian would be the talk of Blaugrana fans the world over.

The striker scored the opening goal as Barcelona fended off a second-half surge from Al-Ahly to win 2-1 and lift the Joan Gamper Trophy in front of their fans. There were cheers for the club’s World Cup winners — Dani Olmo, Pedri, and Gavi — when they appeared on the touchline for warm-ups during the first half. The biggest cheer on the night, however, was reserved for Hamza Abdelkarim’s goal, which was also applauded by the Egyptians who had come to support Al-Ahly. The only man at Camp Nou who wasn’t celebrating was Abdelkarim, who put his hands up in apology for having scored against his boyhood club.

Four goals in six preseason matches for the striker confirm his status as Barcelona’s leading scorer of the 2026-27 preseason. The team’s German manager, Hansi Flick, has confirmed that Abdelkarim will be in the squad on Sunday as Barcelona travel to Elche in the first game of their La Liga title defense. It is an impressive feat for a player who has not played a minute with Barcelona’s reserve team, let alone the first team.

The young Egyptian’s rise to fame has been equal parts swift and surprising. At this time last year, Abdelkarim was known only by the type of internet sleuths who track youth football and try to project the future.

When the striker was sent on loan to Barcelona by then-owners Al-Ahly