Meet the Barcelona player who earned a place in the World Cup after playing just five minutes for his nation | OneFootball

There are World Cup stories that begin with a decade of caps, a truckload of goals and a nation already knowing and clamouring for the name to be included.

Hamza Abdelkarim’s story begins differently: Five minutes.

That is all the 18-year-old on-loan Barcelona forward has played for Egypt’s senior national team, and even that came after Hossam Hassan had already included him in the preliminary touring party to the United States for the marquee event.

Hassan decided there was enough promise in the teenager to take him to the biggest tournament in football.

Alongside Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush

Hamza Abdelkarim will go to the World Cup. (Picture credit: Instagram/@hamzabdelkarim)

Abdelkarim has been named in Egypt’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, featuring in a list that also includes names such as Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.

Egypt will play in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Iran, opening their campaign against Rudi Garcia’s team in Seattle on June 15.

For Barcelona, it is a significant story. Perhaps their most surprising inclusion in the World Cup, Abdelkarim arrived on loan from Al Ahly earlier this year and has been part of the youth setup since.

The Catalan club have an option to make the deal permanent for around €1.5 million plus add-ons.

His only senior bow came in the recent friendly against Russia, which the Pharaohs won 1-0, when he came off the bench for the final five minutes of the game.

All eyes on him

Hamza Abdelkarim is a key player to watch in the World Cup. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

For any other player, five minutes would be a footnote. For Hamza, it has become a doorway.

His impact and goalscoring for the youth team have travelled faster than his reputation. Eventually, Hassan had to make one cut for the final squad, and he left Aqtai Abdullah out.

For Egypt, he is a calculated gamble.

He may not get many minutes in the tournament, but he will be keen to impress with whatever is afforded to him. Barcelona and Hansi Flick will surely be watching.

For the Catalan club, he is a potential investment suddenly attracting the global limelight, and if he can prove himself on the biggest stage, Barcelona could have the chance to sign one of the most promising young strikers around for an absolute bargain.