Hamza Abdelkarim earns praise after making Egypt’s 2026 World Cup squad

Spanish media have hailed young Barcelona forward Hamza Abdelkarim after he clinched a place in Egypt’s final squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite limited minutes with the senior national team.

The talented forward, currently with Barca’s youth ranks, was a surprise inclusion in Hossam Hassan’s 26-man list led by Mohamed Salah, having played just five minutes in a recent friendly against Russia.

Spanish outlet Marca highlighted that Abdelkarim’s call-up came after the coaching staff evaluated his performances and potential, opting to drop striker Oktay Abdallah instead. The report noted that Hamza has been on loan at Barcelona from Al Ahly since February, with the Catalan club holding a 1.5 million euro purchase option plus add-ons.

Barcelona are reportedly planning to trigger that clause, viewing the Egyptian as a key prospect for the near future. New first-team coach Hansi Flick is even considering inviting him to summer pre-season after he scored eight goals in 11 games across the league and Youth Champions Cup.

Marca added that the World Cup stage now offers Abdelkarim a major opportunity to boost his market value and accelerate his rise.