Barcelona’s New Player Looks Like Haaland, Who Actually is Hamza Abdelkarim?

Barcelona managed to bring in a young African player, Hamza Abdelkarim, on loan from Al-Ahly. This player was predicted to be similar to Erling Haaland, who actually is the player who will join Barca Atletic?

Although this transfer did not make big headlines, it still attracted the interest of those who follow Barcelona’s youth recruitment strategy.

Considering Abdelkarim is still unknown to most Barca fans, but reports World of Sports said they had offered valuable insight into the profile of Barca’s newest young player.

Who is Hamza Abdelkarim?

The young Egyptian striker’s football inspirations reveal a lot about his playing style and evolution.

When he was little, Abdelkarim named Neymar as his favorite player. However, as he got older, he began to admire Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and that was largely due to their physical similarities.

With a height of around 185 centimeters, Hamza Abdelkarim has a body posture that naturally suits his strong, direct shooting style of play.

Interestingly, football is not the only sporting influence in his life, as Abdelkarim comes from a family deeply rooted in professional sports.

Both his father and uncle actively play for the Al Ahly volleyball team, while his uncle currently holds a position in the sport’s federation.

Youth Team Coach’s Words

His former youth coach, Alaa Abdou, gave a detailed assessment of the player, having followed his development since he was in the youth team.

“I have known him since he was 14 years old and have followed his development closely. Over the last three years, his game has become even more similar to (Erling) Haaland,” said Abdou.

The coach also explained Abdelkarim’s all-round qualities. “He is a combination of strength, speed and intelligent finishing,” he said.

Abdou stated that Barcelona had recruited a striker with a lot of abilities. “He is a complete striker, who is good in aerial duels, can position himself well in the penalty area and is able to score goals from very small opportunities,” added Abdou.

Meanwhile, from a tactical perspective, Abdou emphasized Abdelkarim’s discipline and willingness to learn.

Recalling their time together, he explained, “He read the game well and collaborated well with his teammates.”

Perhaps the most encouraging thing for Barcelona is the mentality that the player has. Abdou also underlined this point clearly, stating that Abdelkarim was someone who could “learn quickly and always wanted to improve”.

Abdelkarim’s move to Barcelona has now been widely reported in the Egyptian media, indicating expectations surrounding his next move.

For Barça Atlètic, this is a low-risk but exciting addition, which fits perfectly with the club’s approach of developing young talent with strong physicality, tactical awareness and a desire to continuously improve.