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SALT LAKE CITY — An Afghan child who wore a handmade Lionel Messi jersey made out of a plastic bag finally met his idol in Qatar. The boy was so thrilled, he didn't want to let go of his hero's hand. More fun stories from the world of sports in today’s From Left Field.
Afghan child who wore a plastic bag Lionel Messi jersey finally meets his idol
It’s not every day that you stand a few feet from your idol, but when you do, you never want to leave his or her side.
For one special fan, his dream finally came true when he met FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Nearly a year ago, a young Afghan boy named Murtaza Ahmadi gained notoriety after a photo of him wearing a makeshift Messi jersey made from a plastic bag went viral.
Soon after, the search for the child began. When the child was identified and located, many offered to buy him an authentic Messi jersey. A month after the photo went viral, Messi and UNICEF teamed up to send Ahmadi a signed jersey.
In May, Ahmadi's family was forced to flee Afghanistan to Pakistan due to received threats of kidnap, including from a gangster demanding money, according to a BBC report.
On Tuesday in Qatar, after all of the hardships he and his family have endured, Ahmadi was finally able to meet his idol.
Shortly before kickoff of Barça’s friendly match against Al-Ahli Saudi FC, Murtaza was asked to set the ball in middle of pitch. After the kid does so, instead of walking off the pitch, the kid runs toward Messi and holds his hand.
Too cute.
Despite his hero telling him kindly to exit the pitch, Ahmadi refused to leave Messi's side. Finally, the referee grabbed the child and carried the child off the pitch.
Ahmadi was able to enjoy witnessing his idol score a goal, as Messi grabbed the second goal of the night for Barcelona in the Catalan club’s 5-3 win.
Prior to the match, Ahmadi was able to give Messi a hug. As you can see from the video, young Murtaza didn’t want to let go of his hero.
Los sueños se hacen realidad 😊😊 El emotivo encuentro de Murtaza Ahmadi y Messi en Qatar 🔴🔵 #FCBinDoha#ForçaBarçahttps://t.co/7b5qRr1YAI — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) December 13, 2016
When asked to express his experience, Murtaza said, “I'm very happy to have met my hero. It is a dream for me."
With so much bad news in the world, it’s nice to read some good, heartwarming news.
From wearing a plastic bag for a jersey in a war-torn country, to embracing your idol in a foreign land, Murtaza Ahmadi’s story is inspiring, sweet, and is another reminder that dreams do come true.
