Inside story of how Barcelona convinced one of Africa’s brightest young talents to choose La Masia

Inside story of how Barcelona convinced one of Africa’s brightest young talents to choose La Masia One of Barcelona’s most surprising representatives at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup is Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdelkarim , who received a surprise call-up to the tournament. The 18-year-old striker’s move to Barcelona was not a simple academy signing. It was a long and difficult operation that almost collapsed before it went through. According to SPORT , Barcelona accelerated their interest during the Under-20 World Cup in October 2025. The Egyptian striker had a very good showing at the tournament, and Barca’s head of scouting, Joao Amaral, was the one who pushed hard for the deal. Deco also played an important role. The sporting director personally helped convince the player that Barcelona were the best place for him to continue his career. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hamza Abdelkarim (@hamzabdelkarim) The club presented him with their sporting project. Hamza was already part of Al Ahly’s first team, a huge achievement for a then 17-year-old. Barcelona made it clear he would not arrive directly into the first team, but would have a pathway through the club’s structure. The pathway that made the difference Barca’s message to Hamza was simple. If the player showed quality and personality, a first-team chance would not be far off. Barcelona were not just building castles in the air. The proof was in the pudding in the form of players such as Gavi, Fermin, Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal. Hamza had dreamed of the Catalan club since childhood. A chance to wear the Blaugrana was too good for him to refuse, even if he had to take one step backwards to take two steps forward. Hamza Abdelkarim has signed a permanent contract with Barcelona. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website) The negotiations with Al Ahly were much harder. The Egyptian club initially resisted every exit formula and even demanded that Hamza renew his contract before leaving on loan. A signing with first-team intrigue Hamza accepted the risk, extended his deal with the Egyptian club and finally completed the move. After early complications with work permits and a season interrupted by injury, Barcelona have already seen enough to believe in his potential. The club have triggered his buy option of around €1.5 million plus add-ons, and he is now a permanent fixture on Barcelona’s books, signing a contract until 2029. The club have reportedly told him that Hansi Flick wants to see him during first-team pre-season, a major sign of confidence. Hamza is still at the beginning of his journey, but Barcelona worked hard to win this race. Let’s wait and see if he takes his chance in pre-season and becomes a first-team fixture for Hansi Flick in the upcoming season.