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Murtaza Ahmadi, Afghan Lionel Messi Fan, Forced to Flee Home Because of Violence

A seven-year-old Afghan boy, who met soccer idol Lionel Messi after going viral in 2016, was recently forced to flee his home with his family due to attacks by the Taliban.

According to Usman Sharifi of AFP News (h/t Yahoo Sports), Murtaza Ahmadi and his family fled from southeastern Ghazni province to Afghanistan's capital city, Kabul.

Ahmadi became well-known in internet circles when photos circulated of him wearing a homemade Messi Argentina jersey fashioned out of a plastic bag two years ago.

That led to Ahmadi meeting the Barcelona star and accompanying him onto the pitch for a friendly match in Qatar.