Messi sends signed shirts to young Afghan boy

In this provided by UNICEF, Murtaza Ahmadi, an Afghan Lionel Messi fan, shows a donated and signed shirt by Messi, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. (Mahdy Mehraeen/UNICEF via AP)

MADRID — UNICEF says Lionel Messi has sent signed shirts to the Afghan boy who was pictured wearing a homemade Argentina shirt with the No. 10 on the back.

UNICEF said Thursday that 5-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi has received signed Barcelona and Argentina shirts from Messi. It said a football was also delivered to the boy at UNICEF’S office in Kabul.

The Afghan Football Federation had been trying to set up a meeting between Messi and the boy, who was pictured wearing an Argentina shirt made from a plastic bag.

The boy was photographed on Thursday wearing Messi’s signed Argentina shirt.

Messi is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Also Thursday, Barcelona extended its partnership with UNICEF until 2020, increasing its annual donation to 2 million euros ($2.2 million) from 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million).