Lionel Messi sends signed shirt to boy in plastic bag

A young Afghan boy who was photographed wearing a makeshift Lionel Messi football shirt made out of a plastic bag has now received a the real thing from the Argentine forward.

Murtaza Ahmadi, who lives in the Afghanistan countryside, went viral when he was pictured in a blue and white plastic bag with 'Messi 10' crudely daubed on the back.

After a hunt for the youngster, Murtaza was located and has now got hold of a signed shirt from his hero.

Unicef tweeted a photo of Murtaza, 5, showing of his gift, saying: "Murtaza has the real thing now! #LeoMessi helped make his dream come true & gave him signed jerseys & a football."

Messi sent more than one shirt and a signed football, according to Unicef.