Lionel Messi to meet Afghan boy with homemade shirt

Afghan football officials are hoping to facilitate a meeting between Lionel Messi and Murtaza Ahmadi, who became an internet sensation after he was pictured with a Messi shirt made out of a plastic bag.

An image surfaced online of five-year-old Ahmadi wearing the plastic bag ith Messi's name and number drawn in pen on the back.

A search for the boy was conducted in the hope a meeting with his idol Messi could be organised, with Murtaza then located in the Afghani province of Ghazni through a relative in Australia.

The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) released a statement confirming they are aware of the young child and are in contact with Messi to organise the meeting.

"World reliable websites recently released some sort of news on Murtaza, an Afghan child who is fan of Messi, world football star," the statement read.

"Afghanistan Football Federation considers it as its responsibility to pave the way and provide the ground for Messi's meeting with Murtaza.

"Afghanistan Football Federation has contacted with Lionel Messi, the world football star, and it will soon arrange Messi's meeting with Murtaza."