Afghan boy's dream comes true, receives signed Argentian jersey from Messi

Kabul: Five-year-old Afghan toddler Murtaza Ahmadi’s biggest dream came true after receiving a signed Argentina jersey from football superstar Lionel Messi.

"Murtaza realised one of his biggest dreams today! He received a team jersey and an autographed football with a personal message from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lionel Messi," a post by UNICEF Afghanistan said on Thursday.

"The right to play and practice sports promotes the well-being of all children, especially the most vulnerable trapped in emergencies around the world," it said.

"I love Messi and my shirt says Messi loves me," Murtaza told UNICEF.

With help from his elder brother Homayoun, 15, Murtaza, who lives in Jaghori district of central Ghazni province made a blue-and-white-striped plastic shirt with Messi's named scrawled in marker pen and posted the photos of the young lad on Facebook in mid-January.

The pictures instantly went viral on social media and UNICEF tried to help the boy meet his hero.

The boy's father was unhappy at first after the pictures created quite a buzz but now is happy.