Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim opened his scoring account with Barcelona’s senior team, finding the net against Birmingham City in a pre-season friendly ahead of the 2026-2027 campaign.
The 18-year-old forward continued to make the most of Hansi Flick’s trust, securing his second consecutive starting spot and marking a major milestone in his promising career.
How Hamza Abdelkarim Scored His Debut Barcelona Goal
The decisive moment arrived when Abdelkarim made a sharp run into Birmingham’s penalty area, drawing a foul from a defender to win a penalty kick for Barca.
Taking responsibility himself, Hamza calmly converted the penalty with his left foot, placing a low shot into the bottom right corner to equalize 1-1. The goal was a natural reward for his dynamic movement, physical presence, and clever positioning inside the box.
لحظة تاريخية للجوهرة المصرية 🇪🇬🤩
حمزة عبدالكريم يسجل هدفه الأول مع البرسا والتعادل لفريقهبرمنغهام 1️⃣✖️1️⃣ برشلونة#الشارقة_الرياضية pic.twitter.com/YY5eC2Wqmp
— الشارقة الرياضية (@SharjahSportsTV) July 31, 2026
The Egyptian star was not satisfied with that, but added the second goal for himself and Barcelona in the 60th minute, after following up on a shot that was blocked by the Birmingham goalkeeper and bounced back to him, and with one touch with his left hand, he put it into the net.
From Al Ahly to Barcelona: The Rise of Hamza Abdelkarim
Abdelkarim began his football journey while living with his family in Malaysia before returning to Egypt to join the Al Ahly Youth Academy in 2020 at age 12.
He rose steadily through the academy ranks, eventually earning his first-team debut against Petrojet in February 2025, alongside appearances in the Egypt Cup and the CAF Champions League.
In January 2026, Hamza joined Barcelona on loan. Initially featuring for the Under-19 team due to registration delays with Barcelona Atlètic, he impressed by scoring 6 goals in nearly 11 matches—including a memorable hat-trick—helping the squad win the league title and reach the Spanish U19 Championship final.
His strong performances prompted FC Barcelona to trigger his buy option from Al Ahly for €1.5 million, with performance-based add-ons that could elevate the total package to around €5 million. The Egyptian talent signed a long-term contract through June 2029.
World Cup Performance Opens Senior Team Doors
Abdelkarim first caught international attention with Egypt’s U17 national team, scoring 12 goals in 17 matches, including two goals at the U17 World Cup.
He later earned a call-up to the senior Egyptian national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making substitute appearances against Belgium and New Zealand to become the youngest Arab player in World Cup history.
Following the tournament, Hamza linked up directly with Barcelona’s pre-season camp in England. Hansi Flick handed him consecutive starts against CE Europa and Birmingham City, a vote of confidence the young striker rewarded with his debut senior goal.
