‘Great ambition and professionalism’: Hamza Abdelkarim’s former coach lauds Egypt’s teenage star

CAIRO: Just days after making a dream move from Al-Ahly to Barcelona, 18-year-old Egyptian national team player Hamza Abdelkarim made history by making his World Cup debut after coming on as second-half substitute for Pharaohs legend Mohamed Salah.

He became his country’s youngest ever player at the World Cup.

The official page of FC Barcelona marked the occasion by posting a picture of Hamza wearing the national team jersey with the caption: ​​“Hamza Abdelkarim featured in Egypt’s 1-1 draw against Belgium on his FIFA World Cup debut.”

Speaking to Arab News, Osama Zaki, Abdelkarim’s former coach at Al-Ahly, said: “The player possesses great ambition and professionalism despite his young age. He has managed to develop himself in all physical and technical aspects.”

Zaki added that his selection by Hossam Hassan for the Egyptian national team was one of the reasons Barcelona signed him, and he predicted he would score goals in the 2026 World Cup.

“The player possesses great skills as a target man and playmaker, in addition to his diverse heading abilities. He also boasts physical strength and speed with the ball, and I expect that if he shines in the World Cup, he will have a place in Barcelona’s first team,” Zaki said.

He added that the reason for Abdelkarim’s rapid personality development was largely due to his knowledge and appreciation of culture.

Abdelkarim joined Al-Ahly in 2020 aged 12 and won the Republic Championship three years in a row. His former coach said that he wanted Abdelkarim to join Al-Ahly after his first trial, as his abilities were clear from day one. The youngster excelled in the youth teams alongside other outstanding players like Mohannad El-Shami and Bilal Attia.

Regarding his playing