Hamza Abdelkarim’s Barcelona double puts Egypt forward in first-team frame

Hamza Abdelkarim scored both of Barcelona’s goals in their friendly against Birmingham City and immediately stated his desire to build on a striking first impression. The Egyptian forward’s performance earned praise from manager Hansi Flick before he marked the occasion with a message to supporters on social media.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Abdelkarim was deeply moved by his display and used his social media accounts to celebrate scoring twice in Barcelona’s colours.

“Scoring goals in this shirt is a completely different feeling. We continue to work as a team,” he wrote.

The 19-year-old joined Barcelona’s youth set-up in January after making a strong impression at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. His performances at that tournament attracted interest from a number of clubs, but Barcelona moved quickly to secure an agreement with Al Ahly.

The deal initially brought Abdelkarim to the Catalan club on loan with an option to buy for €3m. Barcelona exercised that option this summer, completing his move on a permanent basis.

A friendly fixture formed part of the agreement between the two clubs. As a result, the Egyptian side will take part in this year’s Joan Gamper Trophy.

Abdelkarim’s immediate challenge is to persuade Flick that he deserves to remain around Barcelona’s first team. Coaches within the club’s youth structure already believe he may make only a limited number of appearances for the reserve side, because they consider him a strong candidate to become the first team’s second-choice striker.

The club’s plan is for the forward to spend the season involved in the first-team environment, including training sessions and the day-to-day atmosphere around Flick’s squad.

Abdelkarim had already impressed during his first training sessions and in matches for Barcelona’s youth teams. That progress helped him earn a place in Egypt’s squad for the Under-20 World Cup, where he made his first appearance at a major international tournament.

Barcelona believe the forward possesses several qualities that could accelerate his development. He has been praised for his maturity, physical readiness and outstanding finishing ability, while his two-goal display against Birmingham provided another indication of his potential.

The club have no doubt that Abdelkarim is progressing towards becoming a major star. His next task will be to turn the attention generated by his breakthrough performance into a sustained presence within the first-team group.