The six-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi became an internet sensation after pictures of him dressed in an improvised Lionel Messi jersey – made out of a plastic bag – went viral. But now Murtaza finally got to meet the Argentine footballer in Doha.
The Afghan boy’s dream of meeting his idol came true, according to the Qatar’s World Cup 2022 organising committee. FC Barcelona is in Qatar to play a friendly match against Al Ahli Saudi FC.
Earlier in February, Murtaza received a signed jersey from Messi after his image went viral. Murtaza’s family hails from rural Taliban-infested Ghazni province southwest of Kabul.
But in May, amid constant telephone threats, Murtaza family had to move to Pakistan and settle in the city of Quetta. His father, Mohammad Arif Ahmadi said he feared that his son would be kidnapped after becoming an internet sensation after pictures of him wearing a Messi jersey made out of a striped plastic bag went viral. (India Times)