Lamine Yamal believes Barcelona’s teenage forward Hamza Abdelkarim has the qualities to develop into one of the game’s leading strikers.
The 19-year-old Spain international praised his new Egyptian team-mate after Abdelkarim completed a permanent move to Barcelona from Al-Ahly for 1.5m euros.
“He has a brilliant future ahead of him,” Yamal said in an interview with the Egyptian programme On Sport. “He is still young and has all the qualities to become a great striker.”
Yamal is enjoying the strongest period of his career. The Spain world champion, who is regarded as a favourite for the Ballon d’Or, has scored seven goals and provided four assists in La Liga this season.
Abdelkarim, 18, has attracted less attention since joining Hansi Flick’s squad but has made a strong impression on the club since arriving from Al-Ahly on loan in January 2026, shortly after his 18th birthday.
He scored six goals in 11 appearances for Barcelona’s youth teams over a six-month spell, persuading the Catalan club to make the move permanent during the summer transfer window. Al-Ahly described the deal as the largest in its history for a player developed by the club.
The young forward has been compared with Erling Haaland because of his physical attributes and ability in the air. He also represented Egypt at the 2026 World Cup.
Barcelona have extended Abdelkarim’s contract until June 2030 in an attempt to fend off interest from elsewhere. He made his La Liga debut as a substitute in the 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the end of August.
Flick had already highlighted the striker’s potential during pre-season.
“I think the club has done an excellent job,” the Barcelona manager said. “He had good performances during pre-season and is competing for a place in the team. He is the type of player we did not have. He is a great promise for the future and we must keep him.”
Yamal’s assessment echoed Flick’s view of the Egypt international, who represents a long-term investment for Barcelona.
The club also signed Gabriel Jesus during the same transfer window. The former Arsenal and Manchester City forward arrived after Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez failed, while Abdelkarim is viewed as a signing for the future.