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Teenage forward Hamza Abdelkerim scored his first goal for Barcelona’s senior side in a closed-door pre-season friendly against CE Europa on Friday, underlining his rapid rise at the club following a permanent move from Al Ahly.
The 18-year-old Egyptian started up front for Hans-Dieter Flick’s team in the training match at Barcelona’s facilities and struck Barca’s second goal after around half an hour, making the most of his first appearance with the first team in this summer’s preparations.
The fixture, played without supporters as part of Barcelona’s build-up to the 2026-27 campaign, offered Flick a closer look at several young players. Abdelkerim, who has quickly earned the German coach’s trust, was handed a place in the starting XI and responded by opening his senior account in the colours of the “Blaugrana”.
Permanent Barcelona move swiftly rewarded
Abdelkerim’s breakthrough comes only weeks after Barcelona confirmed they had activated the option to make his transfer from Al Ahly permanent.
The forward initially arrived from the Egyptian club on loan in January and immediately joined Barcelona’s youth setup, producing a series of eye-catching performances for the youth team during the second half of last season.
His form at youth level prompted the club to trigger the buy option in his contract and promote him into first-team pre-season training under Flick ahead of the new campaign. Friday’s goal marks the first tangible return on that decision, as the teenager translated his progress in the academy into an impact with the senior squad.
Rising Egypt international form
Abdelkerim’s strike for Barcelona also comes during a strong spell with the Egyptian national team.
The young attacker featured in four matches for Egypt – known as the “Pharaohs” – at the recent World Cup, gaining valuable experience on the international stage before rejoining his club for summer preparations.
That World Cup exposure has coincided with his development at Barcelona, with the forward now starting to convert his promise into end product in both national team colours and at club level.
Reunion with Al Ahly on the horizon
Abdelkerim is set to face his former club Al Ahly later this summer, after Barcelona announced they will play the Egyptian giants in the Joan Gamper Trophy on 19 August at Camp Nou.
The traditional curtain-raiser to Barcelona’s season will provide a high-profile platform for the teenager to measure himself against the side where he began his career, and where his performances first attracted attention from Europe.
For now, his first goal in a Barcelona shirt – even in a closed-door setting – represents a significant milestone in a year that has already taken him from Al Ahly’s ranks, through Barcelona’s youth teams, onto the World Cup stage with Egypt and into Flick’s first-team plans for 2026-27.
