Murtaza Ahmadi is one lucky little boy.
He first gained Internet fame when someone posted a photo of him wearing a makeshift soccer jersey — just a plastic bag with Argentine star player Lionel Messi's name and number written on the back. Soon, people around the world were trying to get in touch with him, but questions abounded. Who was this little boy? Where exactly did he live?
Those questions have since been answered. Family members identified Murtaza as a 5-year-old living in Jaghori, Afghanistan.
With a photo that adorable, it's no surprise that the Afghanistan Football Federation soon got word of the situation. They made plans for Murtaza to visit with their national team, and wrote in a blog post that the "country's football federation considers it as its obligation to work for fulfilling and realizing the little Murtaza's wishes."
But even more exciting things were to come for Murtaza.
UNICEF tweeted out a photo of the little boy wearing a real Messi jersey. The best part? The shirt is signed by the soccer star.
"Murtaza realized one of his biggest dreams today! He received team jerseys and an autographed football with a personal message from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Leo Messi," UNICEF Afghanistan wrote in a post on its Facebook page. "The right to play and practice sports promotes the well-being of all children, especially the most vulnerable trapped in emergencies around the world."
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