DOHA, December 13, 2016 – Six-year-oldMortaza Hashimi, known as the ‘Little Afghan Messi’ has finally met his hero in Qatar.
The Little Afghan Messi, who charmed theworld with his Lionel Messi carrier bag football shirt dreams came true when hemet his hero in Qatar on Tuesday ahead of before the international friendlymatch between Barcelona and local team Al Ahli.
Messi met one of his youngest and mostinternationally well-known fans almost one year after he became an internetsensation.
According to the Afghanistan FootballFederation (AFF) Murtaza was pictured in January wearing a shopping bag withArgentina’s blue and white stripes along with Messi’s name and No 10 on theback, written in black marker pen by his oldest brother.
Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organizing committeeThe Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) shared footage and videoof Lionel Messi meeting Murtaza Hashimi.
Early this year Messi sent the six-year-oldAfghani a signed shirt and ball, but Murtaza insisted his dream was to meet hishero.
The young boy and his family were forced toleave Afghanistan and settled in Pakistan as they feared for their safety, butare now back in Afghanistan in the hope that they will be able to stay in theirhome.
Afghanistan Sports Journalists Federation hasbeen in contact with the Afghan government in order to ensure that MurtazaHashimi and his family are given full care and protection, given theinstability of their home region and the fear of kidnapping threats givenMurtaza international fame.
The young Messi fan is from a far Daykundiprovince of Afghanistan, near the dangerous Ghazni region of the country.
According to his sister who asked not to benamed, Murtaza is a humble and talented boy who will be ecstatic to meet hishero.
She added that Afghanistan is not safe forthem anymore and asked the international community to protect her brother andfamily.
Murtaza’s father, Arif Ahmadi, told the BBCin last February: “This little kid really loves Messi and football.
“It is not possible for us to buy [ajersey] for him. Because I am a simple farmer. So the kids decided to use theplastic.”
The family’s wish is for the boy to trainat the highest level and become an international star just like his hero, inthe hope that football and power of sport can shine through in Afghanistan.