Hamza Abdelkarim has not even debuted for Barcelona yet, but he is already making waves in the international scene. The 18-year-old striker was subbed on in the 76th minute of Egypt's World Cup opener against Belgium, replacing star forward Mohamed Salah with the score 1-1. The Pharaohs held on for the surprise draw in what is a strong start to their World Cup campaign and Abdelkarim's international career.
Egypt went ahead early after a brilliant strike, with Thibaut Courtois unable to keep out Emam Ashour's low shot. However, Belgium fought back and pulled level in the 66th minute after a cross from the Red Devils was deflected in. Ten minutes later, Abdelkarim, who only made his debut for the Pharaohs in late May, was subbed on for a tiring Salah for the final 15 minutes of a crucial Group G match.
Abdelkarim did not get many chances, with Belgium dominating most of the possession and creating more chances, limiting the forward to just six touches. However, he still showed why he is regarded as such a promising talent, both in Egypt and Catalonia. The young forward won two of his three aerial duels and caused problems with his speed, running at a tired Belgian backline to keep some of the pressure off Egypt's defense.
Abdelkarim has enjoyed a rapid rise in recent months and already looks like a very astute signing. In February, despite interest from other top clubs in Europe, he joined Barça Atlètic on loan from Al Ahly, becoming the first Egyptian player in Barcelona's history. He spent the season with the Juvenil A team, where he showed promise and scored on his debut against Huesca. This summer, his loan move was made permanent.
When Egypt announced its 26-man squad for the World Cup this summer, Abdelkarim was there, despite having never made an appearance for the Pharaohs' first team before. He was even given the number nine shirt, previously worn by players such as Spurs star Mido. Choosing the Barça talent over more established options like Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, who scored four goals in Ligue 1 this summer, was a big surprise, but Abdelkarim has already repaid Hossam Hassan's faith.
Abdelkarim saw only limited minutes ahead of the tournament, playing four minutes in his debut against Russia and five the following match against Brazil. He has already played more minutes for the national team at the World Cup than in those friendlies combined. He should continue to get minutes against Iran and New Zealand as Egypt finds itself in a great position to potentially advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
As he continues to rise with Egypt, it seems likely that Abdelkarim will take on a bigger role at club level, too. He may not be the Robert Lewandowski replacement just yet, but the forward is certainly showing that he can handle himself at a high level. For Egypt, he is already seen as capable enough to come on as a replacement for the legendary Mohamed Salah, who is arguably the greatest player to ever represent the Pharaohs.
Abdelkarim's rise could be a potential solution this summer as the club looks to add some attacking depth. His international teammate Salah has been linked with a move to Barcelona, and, according to Diario Sport, has taken to mentoring the young forward in Egypt's training camps. Barcelona could well benefit from giving him a similar level of trust and a chance to prove himself with the first team next season.
With his debut against Belgium, Abdelkarim became the youngest Egyptian to ever play at the World Cup, surpassing a record that was set in 1934. Additionally, he becomes the first FC Barcelona player to ever play for Egypt at the World Cup. It looks like just the start for the rising star.
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