It was an image that touched the hearts of millions: A 5-year-old Afghan boy wearing an improvised Lionel Messi jersey made from a plastic bag.Now, nearly a year later, Murtaza Ahmadi has finally met his idol.Murtaza made a special trip from Afghanistan to Qatar, where Messi was with his Barcelona teammates to play a friendly match against Al Ahli on Tuesday.In a meeting arranged by the organizing committee of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Messi held hands with Murtaza at the team hotel before picking up the boy and posing for photographs. Murtaza was wearing a Barcelona jersey.Im very happy to have met my hero. It is a dream for me, said Murtaza, in quotes supplied by the World Cup organizing committee.Murtaza, who is now aged 6, will walk out onto the field with the five-time world player of the year before Tuesdays match.The boy became an internet sensation early this year when pictures of him playing near his home in eastern Ghazni province were widely circulated. They showed him wearing a plastic bag -- in blue-and-white stripes, like the Argentina national team jersey -- with Messi and the No. 10 written in black marker.A few weeks later, Messi sent signed Barcelona and Argentina jerseys to Murtaza.Murtazas father, Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, said in May that the family was forced to leave Afghanistan amid constant telephone threats and fears that Murtaza would be kidnapped because of his sudden notoriety.Life became a misery for us, said the father at the time, speaking to The Associated Press over the telephone from the Pakistani city of Quetta, where the family had settled.The meeting between Messi and Murtaza comes at a time when Qatar is introducing long-expected reforms to policies governing its vast foreign-labor force, who labor and human rights activists say are open to abuse by the current system.Qatar says it is abolishing the kafala sponsorship system that binds workers to their employer. Rights groups say the changes fall far short of what is needed to protect the multitudes of mostly Asian low-wage workers transforming the tiny country.---This story has been corrected to show that Murtaza Ahmadi was 5 years old, not 6, when the original photo was taken. Fake Patriots Jerseys . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. 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New England Patriots Shirts .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Christmas cheer is in short supply at the Stadium of Light.Sunderland (3-2-11) are rooted to the foot of the table and in desperate need of results heading into Saturdays match with Watford.But the festive fixture list hasnt been kind.A 1-0 defeat to table-toppers Chelsea in midweek is soon to be followed by tricky fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool over the festive period… and that doesnt coexist comfortably with coach David Moyes 2016 target for his team.Ive been saying that its important to win three or four games before Christmas -- that would be a real big thing, Moyes said. If we could be in a position after winning four or five games, then I could say OK, I fancy my chances of getting us out of it in the homeward stretch. But we need to get to that point by January.Were back on the bottom, but weve been there for most of it so its not something new to us. But we arent back at square one, because weve got ourselves back in with a fighting chance. Were going to have to make sure that were stuck together, and thats why Ive been saying that winning a few games now is so important.Hope for the Black Cats comes in both their home form and the managers attacking tactical switch in recent weeks.The introduction of Victor Anichebe alongside Jermain Defoe in attack has added thrust and variety to the Sunderland forward line, helping spark a run of three wins in the last six games that gives them a chance of avoiding relegation.But there is still much work to do.In contrast, Saturdays visitors WWatford (6-3-7) can be confident of finishing in mid-table, despite inconsistencies that are limiting the clubs chances of challenging for the European places.dddddddddddd.The Hornets have a squad of unfulfilled quality -- or overhyped journeymen -- which is perfectly encapsulated in the shape of Troy Deeney.An unfashionable striker who never scores huge numbers of goals but has done enough to hold off bigger named competition for his place, Deeney is a player whose career could disappear without a trace, but could just as easily see him rise into contention for England selection.Deeney is special, ex-Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores said. I know hes special. Hes really lovely. The work of the player at the club is amazing. He knows every one of the players by name -- not just the first team, but the academy too.Hes a good player and the style of this player is very British. I think maybe one day he will be ready for the national team.Unfortunately for Deeney, he will be denied assistance against Sunderland due to injury concerns for a number of his Watford cohorts, including Stefano Okaka, Adrian Mariappa, Brice Dja Djedje, Valon Behrami, Roberto Pereyra and Craig Cathcart.Sunderland have a host of injury problems to contend with themselves. Paddy McNair, Duncan Watmore, Brad Jones, Jack Rodwell and Lee Cattermole are all out. Stephen Pienaar and Victor Anichebe are doubts. ' ' '