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Lionel Messi Sends Signed Argentina Shirt To Five-Year-Old 'Plastic Bag Boy'

Five-Year-Old Afghan Boy Finally Gets Signed Messi Shirt
Tahira Mirza
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Five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi has finally had his wish come true and received a signed Lionel Messi shirt.

The little Afghan boy captured people's hearts after a picture of him wearing a blue and white striped plastic bag as a football shirt went viral.

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Five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi with signed Messi Argentina shirt

Messi who is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador saw the images of Murtaza trending on social media and contacted UNICEF to help identify him and make his dream of owning a real shirt come true.

"We can't even imagine buying the original Messi jersey. We just can't afford it so, to make my brother happy, I made a shirt out of that plastic bag for him." said Murtaza's older brother.

Murtaza Ahmadi Gets Real Signed Messi Shirt
Afghanistan Messi Shirt(01 of12)
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Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan Lionel Messi fan poses for photograph, as he wears a donated shirt signed by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Afghanistan Messi Shirt(02 of12)
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Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan Lionel Messi fan plays with a soccer ball during a photo opportunity as he wears a shirt signed by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, the father of the boy who was pictured wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with No. 10 on the back, said Friday they want to thank Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, in person.(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Afghanistan Messi Shirt(03 of12)
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Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan Lionel Messi fan plays with a soccer ball during a photo opportunity as he wears a shirt signed by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, the father of the boy who was pictured wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with No. 10 on the back, said Friday they want to thank Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, in person.(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Afghanistan Messi Shirt(04 of12)
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Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan Lionel Messi fan poses for photograph, as he wears a shirt signed by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, the father of the boy who was pictured wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with No. 10 on the back, said Friday they want to thank Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, in person.(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan Lionel Messi fan plays with a soccer ball during a photo opportunity as he wears a shirt signed by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, the father of the boy who was pictured wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with No. 10 on the back, said Friday they want to thank Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, in person.(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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(credit:UNICEF Afghanistan/2016/Mahdy Mehraeen)
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(credit:UNICEF Afghanistan/2016/Mahdy Mehraeen)

The family come from a remote village in the war-torn province of Ghazni in Afghanistan. Murtaza is just one in 43 million children to be trapped in emergencies worldwide.

The Barcelona legend sent the Argentina national team shirt and a FC Barcelona one, both signed with a special message saying “Con mucho cariño, Leo” meaning “With much love, Leo” and also included a signed football with “Leo” written on it.

”I love Messi and my shirt says Messi loves me," Murtaza said, clearly thrilled with his gifts seen in these new pictures taken by Unicef proudly showing off the new signed jerseys and ball.

Afghan boy with Messi shirt
(01 of22)
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Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, wears a plastic bag jersey as he plays football in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. A five-year-old Afghan boy has become an internet star after pictures went viral of him wearing an Argentina football shirt made out of a plastic bag, complete with his hero Lionel Messi's name. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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Afghan boy five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan, plays football in Kabul. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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(credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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(credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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(credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, 44, (R) watches his son five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan, plays football. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, 44, (2nd R) with his son, five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan, meet the media in Kabul. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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(credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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(credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, 44, (L) with his son, five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan, walk around a hilltop in Kabul. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Murtaza plays football. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Afghan men pose for a photograph with five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan wearing a plastic bag jersey, on a hilltop overlooking Kabul. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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Arif Ahmadi, with his son Murtaza Ahmad walk around a hilltop in Kabul. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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This photograph taken on January 24, 2016 and provided by the family of Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, with his plastic bag jersey in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. A five-year-old Afghan boy has become an internet star after pictures went viral of him wearing an Argentina football shirt made out of a plastic bag, complete with his hero Lionel Messi's name. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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In this photograph taken on January 29, 2016, Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, sits with his father Muhammad Arif Ahmadi, 44, as they eat breakfast at their house in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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Murtaza plays football in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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Murtaza holds a photo of his hero Messi. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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(credit:STR via Getty Images)
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This photograph taken on January 24, 2016 and provided by the family of Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, shows him wearing a plastic bag jersey in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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This photograph taken on January 24, 2016 and provided by the family of Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, shows him wearing a plastic bag jersey as he plays football in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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This photograph taken on January 24, 2016 and provided by the family of Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, with his plastic bag jersey in Jaghori district of Ghazni province. (credit:STR via Getty Images)
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An Afghan man poses for a photograph with five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi, a young Lionel Messi fan wearing a plastic bag jersey, in Kabul on February 1, 2016. Barcelona star Lionel Messi is hoping to arrange a meeting with an Afghan boy who shot to fame after pictures of him dressed in a striped plastic bag jersey went viral, Kabul's football federation said on February 1. (credit:SHAH MARAI via Getty Images)
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