Murtaza Ahmadi Wears Barcelona Kit for 1st Time, Prepares to Meet Leo Messi

"

5 year old Murtaza Ahmadi, wearing Messi shirt made from plastic bag, playing football. Messi will meet him soon.. pic.twitter.com/sovk9h91SD

— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) January 31, 2016"

Five-year-old football sensation Murtaza Ahmadi is getting ready to meet his hero, Lionel Messi.

The Afghan boy has shot to fame after a photograph of him wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with the Barcelona star's name and number on the back went viral on social media.

And now a meeting between Ahmadi and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner looks imminent, with the Afghan Football Federation confirming that Messi's team had been in touch.

The youngster has spent the early part of this week practising with the federation as he prepares to meet his idol, and this time he had a genuine Messi kit to play in:

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Murtaza Ahmadi got his Leo Messi jersey today pic.twitter.com/mZQJvmlC79

— Neymar Jr. (@NeyMarvellous) February 2, 2016"

"I love Messi and football," Ahmadi told Al Jazeera. "I will meet him one day. I want to become like him."

AFF spokesman Syed Ali Kazemi said no details of the meeting have yet been finalised but said his country hopes he will one day emulate his hero.

"The passion that Murtaza carries for football, we will do everything in our capacity to train him to be a part of our Afghanistan football team," he said.

Watch this space.

[Al Jazeera]