Barcelona’s Hamza Abdelkarim follows Egyptian greats with historic first-team debut

Barcelona forward Hamza Abdelkarim has begun to reap the rewards of an impressive pre-season after making his competitive first-team debut against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

The young Egypt international came on in the closing stages of Barcelona’s 5-2 victory, replacing Raphinha. He was on the pitch when Barcelona scored their fifth goal, helping the side secure another league win.

Barcelona said Abdelkarim’s appearance was a deserved reward for the form he showed during pre-season matches and training. The striker finished the club’s preparations as their leading scorer, with four goals.

His debut marks a significant moment in both his career and the history of Barcelona. The club said Abdelkarim has become the first Egyptian player to represent its men’s first team in a competitive match.

The 2026-27 campaign has already been an exceptional period for the forward. He joined Barcelona on loan from Egyptian club Al Ahly last season before making the move permanent this summer.

Abdelkarim also represented Egypt at the 2026 World Cup while he was still registered as an Under-19 player, underlining the rapid progress he has made in recent months.

Barcelona noted that his first official appearance also placed him among only three Egyptian players to have played in La Liga. He has followed in the footsteps of Ahmed Hossam “Mido”, who became the first Egyptian to play in Spain’s top flight with Celta Vigo, and Haitham Hassan, who played for Real Oviedo last season.

The club’s report described Abdelkarim’s competitive debut as another important milestone after the attacking player made a strong impression following his promotion to the first-team group during pre-season.

His arrival in the senior side had been accompanied by high expectations, but his four goals in the warm-up fixtures gave Barcelona further evidence of his ability before the campaign began. That form earned him an opportunity in a competitive match, and he took his place among the substitutes for the meeting with Rayo Vallecano.

Although his time on the pitch was limited, Abdelkarim was involved in the closing stages of a convincing Barcelona performance. Coming on for Raphinha, he experienced his first official minutes for the club as Barcelona completed a 5-2 victory.

The appearance also continues a growing Egyptian presence in Spanish football. Mido established the country’s first La Liga link with Celta Vigo, while Haitham Hassan represented Real Oviedo during the previous season. Abdelkarim is now the latest Egyptian player to reach the competition and the first to wear Barcelona’s shirt in a competitive fixture.

For the forward, the debut represents the latest step in a remarkable rise from Al Ahly’s youth set-up to Barcelona’s first team, with international experience at the 2026 World Cup coming before he had even moved beyond Under-19 football.