Barcelona forward Hamza Abdelkarim sets sights on Champions League success after 2030 renewal

Hamza Abdelkarim has set his sights on helping Barcelona win the Champions League after extending his contract with the Catalan club until 2030.

The 18-year-old forward said his priorities were scoring goals, developing with the team and contributing to trophies, with European success his main ambition. Barcelona have not won the Champions League since 2015.

Speaking to Barcelona’s media after signing his new deal, Abdelkarim reflected on his progress at the club, his childhood memories, his favourite forwards and the possibility of playing for the reserve side this season.

He described his current experience at Barcelona as “amazing” and praised the way supporters had treated him since his arrival.

The Egyptian said Mohamed Salah was one of his biggest inspirations, having become an Egyptian forward capable of performing at the highest level in world football.

Abdelkarim identified his goal against former club Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy as his best moment with Barcelona so far. He also spoke about his relationship with team-mates Rony Bardghji and Karim Adeyemi, saying the trio had developed a particular understanding in the dressing room.

Asked which type of goal he preferred, he said: “I prefer scoring the winning goal in the last minute to scoring a hat-trick, as long as the hat-trick does not result in a win, of course.”

He also recalled watching Barcelona beat Paris Saint-Germain at home with his brother when he was a child.

“That was my first memory of Barcelona as a child,” he said. “When I learned that the club wanted to sign me, it was very exciting for me.”

Abdelkarim said he tried to learn from leading forwards around the world.

“There are many good forwards. I want to enjoy this,” he said. “There are great strikers everywhere and you can learn from them. I am trying to do that.”

On his responsibilities, he added: “I am a striker and, of course, I want to score goals. There are other players who score, such as Raphinha and Lamine, but my contribution is scoring goals.”

He welcomed comparisons with Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and joked that he liked being called the “Haaland of the Nile”.

“Haaland is a great striker and amazing at scoring goals and finding the right position,” Abdelkarim said. “You can always learn from top players by watching how they play. I like that nickname.”

The forward said he respected the manager’s decision over playing time and was working to be ready when opportunities came.

“It is a dream to be at this club and represent it,” he said. “Minutes are the manager’s decision and I respect that. I work every day to improve. I need time to get better and help the team. I know the minutes will come, and I have to be ready.”

Abdelkarim said he would accept playing for Barcelona’s second team if it helped him gain experience.

“I do not know whether I will play for the second team,” he said. “I do not think it is something I should not do, and I should not be ashamed of it. It is very important to get minutes, score goals, train with the first team and prove myself on the pitch, whether with the first team, the reserves or the national team.”

He admitted he still had areas to improve while adapting to Barcelona’s distinctive style.

“I have aspects I need to improve, and there are things I do well in which I can still develop,” he said. “Barcelona’s style is different from any other team, and I am adapting to it and improving day by day.”

Abdelkarim is seeking his first competitive goal for Barcelona after scoring four times in pre-season friendlies.