Donning the famous blue and white jersey with the number 10 printed on the back, he's got a low-centre of gravity and close control of the ball.
He zips up and down the pitch, arms stretched out to balance himself. But this is not Lionel Messi advancing towards the mini-goal post. It is five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, who on Thursday received, perhaps, the most precious gift of his life from his hero — Lionel Messi.
Murtaza first made headlines after pictures of him wearing a homemade ‘Messi 10’ jersey made of a plastic bag surfaced online.
Murtaza, dubbed as ‘Messi’s biggest fan’, was located by BBC Trending in the Jaghori District which lies in the eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan.
Messi’s management team confirmed on Thursday that Murtaza was sent an autographed Argentina shirt and football from the five time Ballon d’Or winner.
“I love Messi and my shirt says Messi loves me,” BBC quoted Murtaza as saying.
Murtaza became an internet star after pictures of him playing football near his home in eastern Ghazni province became viral.
They show him wearing the plastic bag - in blue and white stripes
Murtaza’s uncle, an Afghan living in Australia carried out the task of putting BBC Trending in touch with his brother Arif — the kid’s father.
Arif, a farmer by profession, confirmed his son was the boy who struck a chord with football fans around the world and added that Murtaza was ‘extremely happy’.
The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), of which the Barcelona forward is an ambassador, helped to get the shirt to the boy, posting the picture of Murtaza on its Facebook page.
