The Afghanistan Football Federation has announced plans to set up a meeting between five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and the boy who wore a jersey bearing his name, made out of a plastic bag.
Sayed Ali Kazemi, a spokesman for the federation, said on Tuesday they hope Messi can come to the country to visit Murtaza Ahmadi, otherwise they shall arrange a trip to Barcelona for the child:
The date and the venue is still not confirmed yet, but there are chances of Ahmadi flying to Spain to meet his idol.
Kazemi also added the federation will commit to the boy’s footballing future:
We will do everything in our capacity to train him.
Ahmadi became internet-famous last month when photos circulated around the world of him playing in the handmade jersey near his home in the eastern Ghazni province.
(Picture: STR/AFP/Getty Images)
In an interview with al-Jazeera on Monday, Murtaza’s older brother Homayoun, 15, said he made the Jersey for his brother:
We can’t even imagine buying the original Messi jersey. We just can’t afford it.
So, to make my brother happy, I made a shirt out of that plastic bag for him.
Murtaza Ahmadi said:
I love Messi and football, I will meet him one day.
(Picture: STR/AFP/Getty Images)
(H/T Guardian)
