Confirmed: Barcelona starlet Hamza Abdelkarim nominated for CAF Young Player of the Year award

Confirmed: Barcelona starlet Hamza Abdelkarim nominated for CAF Young Player of the Year award FC Barcelona starlet Hamza Abdelkarim has been nominated for the Confederations of African Football’s (CAF) Young Player of the Year award for 2026. The Egyptian striker finds himself in the final ten-man shortlist for the prestigious honour, along with other exciting African talents such as Manchester City’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. Recognition for Hamza’s growth The 18-year-old striker arrived at Barça in February earlier this year, signing on a loan deal from Al-Ahly on loan until the end of the season. The teenager excelled during the second half of the last season with the club’s Juvenil A (U19) side, making a big impression as he finished with six goals in nine league appearances. It prompted the Blaugrana to activate the permanent purchase clause in the loan agreement to acquire Abdelkarim’s services on a full-time basis during the summer transfer window. This came after he made his debut for the Egyptian national team and even represented them at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Since his permanent signing, Hamza has been drafted into the first-team dynamics under Hansi Flick and was a standout performer during the pre-season, scoring four goals. Minutes have been harder to come by once the season has started, but the teenage forward continues to be rated highly . Hamza Abdelkarim in the running for 2026 CAF Young Player of the Year prize. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Abdelkarim has played only 12 first-team minutes in 2026/27, while he has one goal from one appearance for Barça Atletic. Other nominees Owing to his progress with Barcelona and Egypt, Hamza has now earned a nomination for the CAF Young Player of the Year award for 2026. The 18-year-old prodigy will compete for the award alongside several highly regarded prospects, including Real Madrid’s Yan Diomande, Manchester City’s Bouaddi, Bayer Leverkusen duo Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane. The likes of Fiorentina’s Christ Inao, Coventry City’s Caleb Yirenkyi, Ismael Kamissoko of Academia Etoiles du Mandé, Ajax’s Abdellah Ouazane, and Aston Villa’s Ibrahim Mbaye have also been nominated.