Egypt's fears grow ahead of the Youth World Cup
Uncertainty is building in Egypt over the international future of Hamza Abdelkarim, the promising Barcelona forward.
Ahmed Raouf, coach of Egypt's youth team, has admitted he thinks Hamza's involvement in the next Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, set for Ghana in February 2027, looks extremely difficult.
The Egyptian coach is still clinging to one hope, though: calling up the Barcelona man for the Under-20 World Cup.
According to Sport, Barcelona will not release Hamza Abdelkarim to join Egypt's youth team in February, and the player himself has no wish to interrupt his development with the first team.
Speaking to the programme Hona Al-Qahira on the ON Sport channel, in comments relayed by FilGoal, Ahmed Raouf was fairly blunt about the odds of calling up Hamza Abdelkarim.
The Egypt youth coach said: "It is unlikely that Hamza Abdelkarim will take part in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, but we aspire to call upon him in the Under-20 World Cup."
That tournament falls in February, right in the middle of club competitions, which could scupper the player's involvement.
Raouf has yet to spell out exactly why he rates Hamza's participation as unlikely, and Barcelona have issued no official word on the matter either.
Either way, the Egypt youth coach is still hoping to have the forward at his disposal for the Under-20 World Cup.