Messi Scores A Hit With Shirt For Afghan Fan

Argentinian football star Lionel Messi has made a young Afghan fan very happy by sending him two signed shirts and a football.

The UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador first learned of five-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi's passion last month when he saw a picture of the little boy on Facebook.

Murtaza's 15-year-old brother, Homayoun, had posted the picture after making him a shirt in the Argentina colours and made out of plastic with Messi on the front and the number 10 on the back.

The picture went viral and touched a chord with football fans around the world.

The boys' father, who is a farmer in the district of Jaghori, said at the time he could not afford to buy a replica shirt, adding that the football his son played with was punctured.

Messi's father, Jorge, subsequently said his son was aware of the picture and "wants to do something".

Now, he has done something, sending items including Argentinian and FC Barcelona shirts to the UNICEF office in Kabul.

The little boy said as he proudly displayed his new shirt: "I love Messi and my shirt says Messi loves me."

The football - also signed - represents the UN charity's belief that the "right to play and practise sports promotes the well-being of all children, especially the most vulnerable trapped in emergencies around the world".

Sport was rarely played under the rule of the Taliban, and the football stadium in the capital Kabul became known as the venue for executions, stonings and mutilations.

Messi has also said he would like to meet the little boy.