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The ordeal of Murtaza in Afghanistan, the Messi fan who transformed a plastic bag into Argentina's 10

2021-08-16T16:02:34.714Z


Five years ago, his image went viral on the networks. And it helped him fulfill his dream before living a nightmare.


08/16/2021 11:47 AM

  • Clarín.com

  • sports

Updated 08/16/2021 11:47 AM

Afghanistan is experiencing hours of chaos with the Taliban seizing power in Kabul and with the departure of President Ashraf Ghani.

Uncertainty, fear and violence gain space in a territory that has lived in continuous conflict for 40 years, but that five years ago had moved the world with other types of images.

A ball, a shirt in a nylon bag and Lionel Messi

In times of viralization and the search for a story behind a photo,

Murtaza Ahmadi's postcard made an impact

.

Perhaps because of the proximity to a world figure such as Messi and also because of the creativity to approach something as simple as it is impossible to achieve in those lands shaken by constant wars and poverty: a shirt of the Argentine National Team.

At that moment, the photo of the Afghan boy with

a plastic bag pretending to be the albiceleste jacket with the number 10 written in pen went viral

.

And he helped initiate a search for the baby, who was initially assigned a location in Iraq, but was eventually found in Afghanistan.

That portion of land that suffers today. 

The photos of the "Afghan Messi" toured the planet.

(Photo: AFP).

"This little boy loves Messi and football. It's not possible for us to buy him a shirt, since I'm just a farmer, that's why his brothers decided to make him a plastic one,"

explained Arif, his father. The effect of the revolution 2.0 it did not took her long to arrive. 

Harassment came first.

"Everyone told me: 'You are the child who dresses in plastic.' They all bullied me, but I was happy," said Murtaza. But then the reward came: the child did not know at that time that UNICEF, aware of the situation He had taken advantage of the fact that Messi is a Goodwill Ambassador and had generated a link so that he could fulfill his dream of having the original 10 shirt. 

The photo, which had been shared by

@ messi10stats

(one of the main fan accounts of the now PSG player on Twitter), waited to complete the story.

And a month later it arrived, with a very special dedication. 

"Murtaza saw one of his greatest dreams come true today!"

Unicef ​​said in a statement.

Messi sent his shirt to Afghanistan.

(Photo: EFE).

"I love Messi and my shirt says that he loves me

,

"

Murtaza said after receiving the gift from his idol, according to the note published by Unicef, when he received a light blue and white shirt signed by Messi.

"Murtaza believed that today he would meet Messi, but since he realized that they had only sent him t-shirts and a ball, he is sad and asking to meet him personally," was the only complaint at that time from Arif, the boy's father who, for I was 5 years old then.

The little "Afghan Messi".

But the magic moment occurred a few months later.

That same year, on December 13, 2016, the expected meeting took place: it was in the preview of a friendly between Barcelona and Al Ahli, in Qatar, in Doha.

Murtaza, dressed in orange, did not want to separate from his idol.

Not only did she accompany him to the field of play, but also posed in the photos and even participated, of

his own accord

, in the referee's traditional coin toss before the start of the match.

Messi with Murtaza in Qatar (Photo: AFP PHOTO / KARIM JAAFAR)

His father hoped that his closeness to Messi would help his ailments also go viral and the family could get political asylum in Spain.

None of that happened.

He had to return home, although the family signed up to seek refuge in a country far from Afghanistan.

Messi and Ahmadi, together in Qatar.

(Photo: EFE / Qatar)

From dream to nightmare

Upon their return, the Ahmadi's situation turned from bad to worse.

The dream fulfilled turned into a nightmare.

Some believed in their country that they had returned from the encounter with their idol in Qatari lands with suitcases full of money.

An unfounded rumor.

And a trap.

Thus began to fall one after another the threats of kidnapping that forced him to leave Ghazni, the village where he lived with his family, to move to the always chaotic Kabul, where he would stay with his uncle and cousins. 

But in the Afghan capital he suffered terror again.

Added to the threats of kidnapping was the endless wave of attacks that transformed the city into a powder keg.

Murtaza Ahmadi, the Lionel Messi fan, at his uncle's house in Kabul.

Photo: AP

In a documentary produced by

Bleacher Report

, little Murtaza lamented his move: "There are a lot of explosions everywhere. Boom. I don't have a place to play. I have no friends."

The latest information assures that Murtaza was able to return to his village.

When asked if he had wanted not to wear that Argentine shirt that made him a viral phenomenon and an easy target, the boy replied:

"I would wear it, because I adore Messi."

After all, there is always a ball, a shirt and a Messi at any time and place.

Although soccer in Afghanistan rarely makes the news. 


Source: clarin

All news articles on 2021-08-16

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