New Barcelona signing Hamza Abdelkarim is ready to star at the FIFA World Cup, and could prove that he’ll be the player to one day take the mantle from Mohamed Salah as Egypt’s talisman, according to head coach Hossam Hassan.
The 18-year-old was a surprise uncapped inclusion in the Pharaohs’ World Cup squad in May, and a remarkable few weeks continued when his loan move to Barcelona was converted into a €1.5 million ($1.7m) permanent deal on June 10.
While Hassan acknowledges that Abdelkarim is part of the Pharaohs’ future that he’s building for the national side, he’s already seen enough from the youngster to believe that he can make an impact on the World Cup over the matches to come.
“We have seen many things [we like with Hamza], his personality, technical capabilities, ambition, what the player wants to achieve,” Hassan began.
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“We can see it when we’re recruiting, and in the matches with the young players. He was playing at such a high level and was already overqualified for youth football.
“I saw the positive influence he had on the group at the 2025 U-17 World Cup, and I’ve followed all of his matches for Barcelona.
“When he’s come to work with us, I can see that he’s a very good player for Egyptian football. It may be a surprise for some, but he has all of the qualities of a strong player.
“He’s proved it at Barcelona, and when a player is performing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, he can have a very positive influence on Egyptian football, maybe even very soon.”
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After joining Barca, initially on loan from Egypt’s Al Ahly in February, Abdelkarim made his debut for Barcelona Juvenil in the Spanish league’s youth structure, scoring on his first outing against SD Huesca.
He only made his debut for the Pharaohs on May 28, after having been named in Hassan’s squad, but is expected to feature for the North African giants during the World Cup, with the head coach keen to see a collective performance – rather than a reliance on Salah – as they look to give themselves the best chance of reaching the knockouts.
“Egypt aren’t just about Mohamed Salah, it’s all of the players and their collective performance,” Hassan continued. “I hope they will rise to the expectation of the world stage [against Belgium].
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“We have many talents, beyond Salah, beyond [Omar] Marmoush, and I think the supporters will see an amazing performance from our team.”
While Hassan is determined to take Egypt into the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history, the former international striker is also building for the Pharaohs’ future, acknowledging that key men – including Salah – are approaching the latter stages of their career.
Twelve of the North Africans’ World Cup squad are over 30, with Salah set to turn 34 on the day of Egypt’s match against Belgium.
“The new players are the future of the squad, the country, Egypt’s football,” Hassan continued. “Abdelkarim is a great player who will surprise the fans, alongside Salah, alongside Marmoush of course.
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“They are talents who will add to the country’s football in the long run. We can’t just look at the squad who are there, but there are other young talents in the country as well.
“I hope we can find more talent in the near future and maybe even recruit them,” he concluded. “This is the heritage, the legacy for the Egyptian fans, and the Egyptian football family are going to witness it in the future.”
Without an Africa Cup of Nations title in 16 years – the longest drought the Pharaohs have experienced since the mid-80s – Hassan believes that Abdelkarim can spearhead a new generation of Egyptian players to replace the squad who have fallen short in recent international tournaments.
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“In 2027, you’ll see a new star-studded team,” he concluded. “The whole world is waiting to see the face of Egypt as a respected team, with all of the players, with Salah as well.
“We don’t want to rely on one single star, but rely on the group, working in the framework of a project.”
After their opener against Belgium in Seattle on Monday, the Pharaohs will meet New Zealand in Vancouver six days later. They conclude their Group G campaign against Iran in Seattle on June 26.
