Threats force young Messi fan to flee Afghanistan

The father of a five-year-old boy sent signed shirts from football player Lionel Messi says the family has fled to Pakistan after receiving threats.

Murtaza Ahmadi with his homemade plastic bag Messi jersey. Source: Getty Images

A five-year-old boy who received signed shirts from his football hero Lionel Messi has fled Afghanistan with his family after receiving telephone threats, according to the BBC. 

Murtaza Ahmadi's father said the family had received threats of kidnap, including from someone demanding money.

"A few days ago I got a call from a local gangster. He thought that since my son had received these T-shirts from Messi that maybe he also got money and asked for his share," Arif Ahmadi told the BBC.

Murtaza shot to international fame after a photo of him wearing a homemade Messi shirt fashioned from a plastic bag went viral online. The Argentinian football star saw the photo and sent him two signed jerseys and a football. 

The family are now living all together in a single room in Quetta, Pakistan.