Controversy in Egypt national team over Hamza Abdelkarim's lack of playing time

Hamza Abdelkarim, the young forward of FC Barcelona, has returned to the spotlight in Egypt amid criticism over his limited appearances with the national team, despite the high expectations surrounding him after his impressive performances and scoring his first international goals recently.

The debate intensified following Egypt's loss to South Africa by a goal to nil in a friendly match, as Hamza Abdelkarim started the game on the bench, despite scoring his first international goal against South Sudan recently.

According to 'Sport', the site 'WinWin' published images of a serious conversation between Hamza Abdelkarim and coach Hossam Hassan after the match, describing the scene as a reprimand from the coach to the player, without revealing the details of their exchange.

The incident has sparked a discussion in Egypt, especially with Hamza Abdelkarim continuing to receive limited minutes since joining the senior national team. However, there are no indications of a rift between the player and the coach or any disciplinary issues.

Bashir El Taibi, former player of Zamalek SC and the Egypt national team, criticized the match management and called for giving Hamza Abdelkarim a bigger chance, considering that the friendly match was an opportunity to start him and give him more time to showcase his abilities.

Expectations are rising around Hamza Abdelkarim after his development with FC Barcelona and his first goal with the national team, while Hossam Hassan continues to handle his playing minutes with caution, keeping the young FC Barcelona striker at the heart of the Egyptian football discussion.