VIDEO: Hamza Abdel Karim scores against former club Al Ahly and pays tribute to fans

Egyptian striker Hamza Abdel Karim scored against his former club Al Ahly as Barcelona took on the Egyptian giants in the Joan Gamper Trophy at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Alejandro Balde delivered a low pass from the left following a combination with Raphinha.

Abdel Karim made no attempt to celebrate the goal, instead placing his hands beneath his head in a gesture of apology towards the Al Ahly supporters.

Emotional moment for Egyptian forward

The goal carried particular significance for Abdel Karim, who left Al Ahly for Barcelona after spending the second half of the previous season on loan with the Catalan club.

Barcelona made the move permanent in June 2026 by activating the purchase clause in his loan agreement, with the Egyptian subsequently signing a contract that runs until 2029.

His decision not to celebrate against his boyhood club reflected his connection with Al Ahly and their supporters.

Abdel Karim impresses in Barcelona pre-season

The Egyptian forward had already made an impression during Barcelona’s pre-season preparations.

He scored in the 5-2 victory over Swiss club Basel before finding the net twice in the 2-2 draw against English side Birmingham City.

Those performances helped establish Abdel Karim as one of the young players attracting attention ahead of the new campaign.

The striker also featured for Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, where the Pharaohs reached the round of 16 before suffering a dramatic 3-2 defeat by Argentina.

Barcelona’s final pre-season test

The Joan Gamper Trophy meeting with Al Ahly represents Barcelona’s final preparatory match before the start of the new season.

For Abdel Karim, however, the occasion provided a particularly memorable moment as he scored against the club where his football journey began before choosing not to celebrate out of respect for Al Ahly.