From ball boy to Barcelona: Hamza Abdelkarim’s remarkable journey

A childhood photograph of a young Hamza Abdelkarim escorting Senegal star Sadio Mané at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations has resurfaced with renewed meaning, as the Egyptian teenager completes an extraordinary move to Barcelona.

Barça have secured Abdelkarim on loan from Al Ahly, with the highly rated youngster set to begin the next chapter of his development at the club’s famed La Masia academy, a pathway that has shaped some of the greatest players in world football.

For Abdelkarim, the image from AFCON 2019 is more than a nostalgic memory. It captures a moment when he stood on the pitch as a wide-eyed child, close enough to the game’s elite to dream, but still far from knowing his own future would lead him to one of football’s most iconic institutions.

Six years on, that dream is taking tangible form. Barcelona’s decision to bring him in reflects growing belief in his potential and the club’s long-term vision of nurturing young talent with technical quality and strong footballing intelligence.

Sources close to the deal say the Catalan giants view the move as an investment in Abdelkarim’s education rather than an immediate first-team solution. Life at La Masia will focus on his tactical understanding, physical development and adaptation to Barcelona’s demanding style of play.

For Egyptian football, the transfer is a moment of quiet pride. Abdelkarim follows a lineage of North African players who have looked beyond borders in pursuit of elite development, while Al Ahly’s role in his early growth underlines the strength of grassroots structures back home.

As the young Egyptian prepares for life in Spain, that photograph from 2019 has taken on new symbolism, a reminder that in football, the distance between escorting a star and becoming one can sometimes be bridged by talent, patience and opportunity.