Barcelona’s youth system continues to draw attention on the international stage, with the club’s academy and U19 setup producing players who are already breaking into senior national team conversations despite limited first-team exposure.
It comes during a period where Barcelona are once again seeing multiple players called up for major international tournaments, underlining the strength of their development pipeline across different age groups.
That trend has now extended beyond Europe, with one of their lesser-known youth forwards earning a surprise place in a World Cup squad this summer.
Hamza Abderkarim, who features for Barcelona at U19 level, has been selected in Egypt’s senior squad for the upcoming tournament.
The striker, born on 1 January 2008, only recently arrived at Barcelona during the winter transfer window on loan from Al Ahly, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
His arrival also marked a historic moment, as he became the first Egyptian player in Barcelona’s history.
Early complications around registration delayed his involvement for several months, but once cleared, he was quickly integrated into the U19A squad and made an immediate impact.
Across seven league appearances, he has scored five goals, alongside two additional cup matches, highlighting his sharp adaptation in front of goal.
Despite not yet featuring beyond youth level football at club stage, his performances have been enough to convince Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan to include him in his World Cup plans.
He now joins a squad that includes established stars such as Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, with Egypt set to compete in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Iran.
Hamza Abderkarim has already built a strong reputation at youth international level, having previously represented Egypt at U17 tournaments including both the Africa Cup of Nations and the U17 World Cup, where he stood out as one of the country’s brightest attacking prospects.
His call-up comes in the same international cycle where Barcelona winger Raphinha has also been selected for Brazil’s World Cup squad, further highlighting the club’s growing presence across global national teams.
The Pharaohs’ squad list for the World Cup 2026 🇪🇬🏆#egyptnt#FIFAWORLDCUP pic.twitter.com/80YjkoVFUY
— Egypt National Team (@EgyptNT_EN) May 20, 2026
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