12-Year-Old Ahmed, Who Played Hamoudi In Sahim Omar Kalifa’s Baghdad Messi, Fulfills His Dream Of Meeting Lionel Messi
Ahmed Al-Amiri, a 12-year-old boy from Iraq who played the lead role of Hamoudi in the award-winning short film “Baghdad Messi” by Sahim Omar Kalifa, has fulfilled his lifelong dream of meeting his idol, Lionel Messi, the Argentine football superstar. Ahmed, who lost his leg in a bombing incident in Baghdad in 2015, was invited by Messi and his charity foundation to visit Barcelona and attend a football match at Camp Nou stadium.
The heartwarming encounter between Ahmed and Messi was captured on camera and shared widely on social media, where it quickly went viral and touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. In the video, Ahmed is seen walking with the help of a prosthetic leg towards Messi, who embraces him warmly and presents him with a signed football shirt and a pair of boots. Ahmed is visibly overwhelmed and grateful for the opportunity to meet his hero, and thanks Messi for inspiring him to pursue his passion for football despite the challenges he has faced.
“Meeting Messi was the best day of my life,” Ahmed said in an interview with CNN. “I felt like I was in a dream. He is my role model, and I admire him for his skills, his humility, and his kindness. He made me feel special and motivated me to keep playing football and chasing my dreams.”
Ahmed’s journey to meet Messi began when the Barcelona forward saw a video of him playing football with a makeshift prosthetic leg, and was moved by his determination and talent. Messi contacted Ahmed through his foundation, which supports children with health and education needs around the world, and invited him to visit Barcelona as his guest.
Ahmed’s trip to Spain was also made possible by the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, which helped him obtain a passport and a visa, and by the Spanish embassy in Iraq, which facilitated his travel arrangements and provided him with a VIP treatment during his stay in Barcelona.
Ahmed’s story has inspired many people in Iraq and beyond, and has highlighted the resilience and creativity of children who have survived war, violence, and poverty. “Baghdad Messi”, the film in which Ahmed starred, tells the story of a young boy who dreams of playing football like his idol Messi, and who uses his imagination and his ball skills to overcome the obstacles of his environment. The film won several awards at international film festivals, and was praised for its authentic portrayal of life in Iraq and its uplifting message of hope and perseverance.
Ahmed’s meeting with Messi has also sparked a debate about the role of sports in promoting social inclusion and human rights, and about the responsibility of famous athletes to use their fame and wealth for the benefit