Barcelona wonderkid makes history at the World Cup

Barcelona wonderkid makes history at the World Cup Barcelona’s long-term investment in Hamza Abdelkarim continues to look increasingly promising after the young forward achieved a remarkable milestone on football’s biggest stage.  As such, after appearing in the tournament opener against Belgium, the 18-year-old became the youngest player ever to represent Egypt at a FIFA World Cup. The teenager was introduced in the 75th minute of Egypt’s 1-1 draw and immediately entered the history books.  It marked another important chapter in what has already been a rapid rise for one of Barcelona’s most exciting young prospects. After arriving from Al Ahly earlier this year, Abdelkarim has wasted little time making an impression both at club and international level. Barcelona talent breaks historic Egypt record The World Cup appearance was significant for more than just the occasion itself, as Abdelkarim’s debut at 18 years and five months old broke a record that had stood for more than nine decades. The previous benchmark belonged to Mostafa Kamel Mansour, who represented Egypt at the 1934 World Cup at the age of 19 years and nine months.  Abdelkarim has now surpassed that mark and secured his place in Egyptian football history. His appearance came at a crucial stage of the match against Belgium, with the score locked at 1-1.  Egypt’s coaching staff showed confidence in the youngster by handing him valuable minutes in one of the team’s most important fixtures of the tournament. Hamza Abdelkarim replaced Mohamed Salah. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Notably, Abdelkarim entered the pitch in place of Egyptian icon Mohamed Salah. Barcelona have secured his future It must be remembered that Barcelona’s confidence in Abdelkarim has grown considerably since his arrival on loan from Al Ahly in January.  As a result, the Catalan side activated their purchase option , securing the youngster’s services in a deal worth €1.5 million.  Internally, the move is viewed as a low-risk operation with potentially huge upside given the player’s age and development curve. Furthermore, his progress has also attracted attention from first-team staff, as Hansi Flick is expected to monitor the forward’s development closely, and there remains a possibility that Abdelkarim could be involved in first-team pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign.