Young Lionel Messi fan wearing plastic bag jersey found in Afghanistan

Hilary Whiteman
By Hilary Whiteman, CNN
3 minute read
Updated 1:05 PM EST, Thu February 11, 2016
Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, gained worldwide fame after being photographed wearing a plastic bag with Lionel Messi's name on it. He and his family have fled rural Afghanistan for Pakistan after receiving threats, his father told CNN.
Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, gained worldwide fame after being photographed wearing a plastic bag with Lionel Messi's name on it. He and his family have fled rural Afghanistan for Pakistan after receiving threats, his father told CNN.
CNN
Murtaza wears the autographed Lionel Messi Argentina shirt given to him by the soccer superstar and UNICEF. He had been pictured in his native Afghanistan wearing a striped plastic bag with the star's name and number written on it to replicate a shirt.
Murtaza wears the autographed Lionel Messi Argentina shirt given to him by the soccer superstar and UNICEF. He had been pictured in his native Afghanistan wearing a striped plastic bag with the star's name and number written on it to replicate a shirt.
UNICEF
UNICEF Afghanistan representative Akhil Iyer presents the thrilled Murtaza with his gifts from Messi, the Argentine star who plays for Barcelona.
UNICEF Afghanistan representative Akhil Iyer presents the thrilled Murtaza with his gifts from Messi, the Argentine star who plays for Barcelona.
Mahdy Mehraeen
Murtaza dribbles as a UNICEF staffer takes on the role of goalkeeper.
Murtaza dribbles as a UNICEF staffer takes on the role of goalkeeper.
Mahdy Mehraeen
Murtaza points proudly to the dedication and autograph from Messi, who scored twice for Barcelona in their Champions League win over Arsenal in London.
Murtaza points proudly to the dedication and autograph from Messi, who scored twice for Barcelona in their Champions League win over Arsenal in London.
Mahdy Mehraeen
Murtaza emulates his hero as he scores a goal wearing the Argentina captain's shirt.
Murtaza emulates his hero as he scores a goal wearing the Argentina captain's shirt.
Mahdy Mehraeen
Murtaza shows off his skills with his Messi-autographed football.
Murtaza shows off his skills with his Messi-autographed football.
Mahdy Mehraeen
Murtaza holds the plastic bag that made him famous. His father, Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, told CNN the five-year-old's brother made it for him when he wouldn't stop crying. "I told him that we were living in a poor village far from the city and it was impossible for me to get him the shirt," he said.
Murtaza holds the plastic bag that made him famous. His father, Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, told CNN the five-year-old's brother made it for him when he wouldn't stop crying. "I told him that we were living in a poor village far from the city and it was impossible for me to get him the shirt," he said.
Hamayon Ahmadi
"He kept crying for days, asking for the shirt, until his brother Hamayon helped him make one from the plastic bag to make him happy," Ahmadi said. "He stopped crying after wearing that plastic bag shirt."
"He kept crying for days, asking for the shirt, until his brother Hamayon helped him make one from the plastic bag to make him happy," Ahmadi said. "He stopped crying after wearing that plastic bag shirt."
Hamayon Ahmadi
The Ahmadis lived in Jaghori, southwest of Kabul in Afghanistan. Murtaza wants to be a footballer when he grows up.
The Ahmadis lived in Jaghori, southwest of Kabul in Afghanistan. Murtaza wants to be a footballer when he grows up.
Hamayon Ahmadi
The original image, posted to Twitter in mid-January, showed Murtaza from behind. Internet users shared the picture in a bid to discover his identity.
The original image, posted to Twitter in mid-January, showed Murtaza from behind. Internet users shared the picture in a bid to discover his identity.
Hamayon Ahmadi
Messi, considered by many the best soccer player in the world, playing for Argentina in a recent game against Paraguay.
Messi, considered by many the best soccer player in the world, playing for Argentina in a recent game against Paraguay.
YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Lionel Messi's biggest fan?

Story highlights

Image of young football fan wearing plastic bag as jersey was shared online

False leads pointed to Iraq, but it turns out he's five years old and lives in Afghanistan

CNN  — 

Lionel Messi fans, the search is over.

The boy, seen wearing a striped plastic bag with the football superstar’s name and number scrawled in blue ink, was found in Afghanistan last week.

He’s five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi from Afghanistan who “loves football and Messi.”

“The impact of the reports about my son has been positive and has inspired me,” Murtaza’s father, Arif Ahmadi, told CNN. “My biggest hope is to have a football stadium in our district. That is my biggest dream.”

Murtaza had started asking his father for a Messi jersey, Ahmadi said.

Lionel Messi to Meet Murtaza Ahmadi, 5-Year-Old Fan from Afghanistan

An image posted to Hamayon's Facebook page shows his little brother dancing in his makeshift shirt.
An image posted to Hamayon's Facebook page shows his little brother dancing in his makeshift shirt.
Arif Ahmadi

“I told him that we were living in a poor village far from the city and it was impossible for me to get him the shirt,” he added.

“He kept crying for days asking for the shirt until his brother Hamayon helped him make one from the plastic bag to make him happy.

“He stopped crying after wearing that plastic bag shirt.”

Images posted to Hamayon’s Facebook page show a smiling Murtaza wearing the bag and appearing to dance.

Search for the ‘Messi boy’

Internet users started searching for the mystery boy in mid-January when a Leo Messi fan account on Twitter posted an image of him wearing a plastic “Messi” bag.

The photo showed him only from the back – a small boy with a buzz cut wearing a brown knitted sweater – with a message that read: “A kid in Iraq …” It included an emoji of a breaking heart.

The Iraq reference turned out to be false. A Twitter user who tweeted that the boy was from Dohuk – a city in northern Iraq – later admitted that he’d made it up.

But the false lead led to claims by a Kurdistan television station that they’d found the boy in Dohuk.

‘He wants to meet Messi’

In fact, Murtaza lives with his family in a rural village in Afghanistan, where he’s become something of a celebrity.

Images posted to Facebook last week showed the small boy still wearing his vest and posing with his proud father and other villagers.

Murtaza poses with local villagers, including his proud father Arif, in the blue vest, third from right.
Murtaza poses with local villagers, including his proud father Arif, in the blue vest, third from right.
Arif Ahmadi

“I feel very happy that he is famous now,” Ahmadi said. “He is really excited that his pictures are everywhere now. He wants to become a football player in the future and go to school.”

And “he wants to meet Messi,” he added.

Murtaza’s life couldn’t be more removed from that of his idol.

Last month Messi reclaimed his title as the world’s best player, winning his fifth Ballon d’Or award at a lavish ceremony in Zurich.

“It’s much more than anything I’ve dreamed of as a kid,” Messi said, as he accepted the award. “I want to thank everyone who voted for me and I want to thank my teammates.

“And lastly, I want to thank football in general for everything it has brought me. Both the bad and the good. Because it has made me learn and grow.”

Last month, the Leo Messi fan account tweeted that it had received a direct message from Leo’s team. “They want to know who this kid is so that Leo can arrange something for him.”

Over to you, Messi.

Read more: Messi to meet 5-year-old fan from Afghanistan

CNN’s Masoud Popalzai contributed to this report.

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