Egyptian Striker Hamza Abdel Karim Shines on Barcelona Youth Debut

Young Egyptian forward Hamza Abdel Karim made an eye-catching debut for the youth team of FC Barcelona, delivering an impressive start with the Catalan giants after joining on loan from Al Ahly SC during the recent winter transfer window.

The promising striker made his first appearance for Barcelona’s youth side in their clash against SD Huesca in the 23rd round of the Spanish youth league. 

The match ended in a 2–2 draw, but it produced a memorable moment for the Egyptian talent, who scored his first goal for the Catalan side.

Abdel Karim’s debut quickly caught the attention of Spanish media. The newspaper Sport published an extensive report under the headline “Hamza Abdel Karim Soars with Barcelona,” praising the young striker’s technical ability and strong physical presence.

The report noted that a traditional No. 9 striker is a rare profile within the famous La Masia academy.

According to the report, Abdel Karim worked hard to support his teammates by playing with his back to goal, though the newspaper suggested he may need time to fully adapt to Barcelona’s style of play.

His impact on the match was evident. The Egyptian forward nearly scored earlier with a dangerous header that deflected off the goalkeeper’s hand before striking a Huesca defender and heading toward goal. 

After the break, he continued to threaten the opposition, controlling a long ball outside the penalty area before turning and firing a powerful shot that the goalkeeper managed to stop.

Moments later, Abdel Karim won a penalty after being brought down inside the box. His persistence was rewarded in the 69th minute when he rose to meet a precise cross and powered a header into the net, giving Barcelona their second goal of the match.

Another Spanish outlet, Mundo Deportivo, described March 8 as a day the player will never forget. 

The newspaper highlighted that Abdel Karim scored his first goal for the team just three days after arriving, while also earning a penalty despite facing intense defensive attention from as many as five or six defenders at times.

The appearance marked Abdel Karim’s first match for Barcelona roughly 40 days after completing his move, following the resolution of his work permit situation. 

The young striker celebrated the milestone on his Instagram account, writing: “Proud to play my first match and score my first goal with this great team. Grateful for this moment and hungry for more… Vamos Barça.”