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Lionel Messi upstages Cristiano Ronaldo after Ballon d’Or

By Rucker Haringey

QUETTA, PAKISTAN - MAY 03: Murtaza Ahmedi, a five year old Afghan boy who wears a jersey signed by Messi, poses as he holds another jersey from Messi in Quetta of Balochistan province, a South-Western city in Pakistan on May 3, 2016. A boy from Ghazni province of Afghanistan became famous on social media in the world after wearing a plastic bag shirt resembling the uniform of international football star Lionel Messi. Messi had also expressed his wish to meet Murtaza Ahmedi. Parents of Murtaza Ahmedi moved him to Quetta from Afghanistan hence they worried about kidnapping, Mr. Wahid Ahmedi, a relative of the boy said. They also appealed to football federations and both Afghanistan and Pakistan government for making arrangements of meeting between Lionel Messi and Murtaza Ahmedi. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
QUETTA, PAKISTAN - MAY 03: Murtaza Ahmedi, a five year old Afghan boy who wears a jersey signed by Messi, poses as he holds another jersey from Messi in Quetta of Balochistan province, a South-Western city in Pakistan on May 3, 2016. A boy from Ghazni province of Afghanistan became famous on social media in the world after wearing a plastic bag shirt resembling the uniform of international football star Lionel Messi. Messi had also expressed his wish to meet Murtaza Ahmedi. Parents of Murtaza Ahmedi moved him to Quetta from Afghanistan hence they worried about kidnapping, Mr. Wahid Ahmedi, a relative of the boy said. They also appealed to football federations and both Afghanistan and Pakistan government for making arrangements of meeting between Lionel Messi and Murtaza Ahmedi. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /
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Lionel Messi made a boy’s dream come true

Cristiano Ronaldo can sleep well tonight with his Ballon d’Or but Lionel Messi earned something more precious this week. The Argentine star knows he made a little Afghan boy’s dreams come true after meeting him yesterday.

The boy in question, of course, is five-year-old Afghan international Murtaza Ahmadi. He quickly became an internet sensation after being photographed almost a year ago wearing a plastic bag fashioned to look like a Messi jersey. In a touching story, Ahmadi had the proudest moment of his life yesterday when he got the chance to meet his idol in person.

The two were put together in a meeting arranged, ironically, by the Qatar 2022 World Cup Committee. The young child claimed that meeting Messi was “a dream.” It’s certainly not something he would have considered possible 11 months ago.

At the time the photo was taken, Ahmadi was one of countless children roaming the streets of Afghanistan and wishing they could be the Barcelona star. Sadly, his life has been completely turned upside down since the iconic image was taken. Shortly after it went viral, the boy’s family became inundated with threats that he would be kidnapped due to his newfound notoriety.

The family has since relocated to Quetta, a city in Pakistan. Things have quieted down some as a result, but you have to imagine it was still a stressful time for everyone involved. Moving is hard for any young child, especially if an innocent photo of you causes the whole thing.

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Still, this story continued yesterday with a happy moment. It wasn’t a massive gesture from Messi to meet with Ahmadi, but it’s the sort of thing the Argentine star does over and over again. It’s gestures like this that provide us a point of differentiation between Messi and Ronaldo.

While the Barcelona star was making headlines with his charity, Ronaldo was in the news claiming he would have won more trophies if he had the chance to play alongside the diminutive attacker. Is there any confusion why Messi is universally adored while Ronaldo splits fan opinion between adoration and contempt?

Not in my mind, Lionel Messi’s kindness deservedly overshadowed Ronaldo’s pomp and circumstance this week. Both men are great players, but it’s pretty easy to see who the better person is. That’s why Messi will always be beloved, while Ronaldo would elicit equal cheers and jeers.

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