The season-ending event of 2018  featured a series of thrilling contests, punctuated by a compelling headline bout that earned a warm reception from the passionate fans in attendance. In the main event, Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex authored a fantastic first-round knockout, making quick work of opponent Luis Regis.

Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai  put together a highlight-reel performance in the main event of ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS, dominating opponent Luis Regis of Australia to win by first-round knockout. Yodsanklai came out of the gates aggressively, pressuring Regis against the cage fence.

A one-two combination hurt Regis, followed by three unanswered uppercuts on the inside that dropped the Australian. Regis was out before he hit the canvas and Yodsanklai was awarded the scintillating knockout.

“My plan was to beat him by KO as quick as possible as I didn’t want to fight too long and get hurt. After I got him with a few upper-cuts, I was confident I did it,” said Yodsanklai.

Panpayak Jitmuangnon 

Three Thais were in actions in front of the cheering crowds on Friday and all were victorious. The other two were Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy who defeated Liam Harrison by Knockout at 1:15 minutes of round 2 in the ONE Super Series Muay Thai Featherweight bout while debutant Panpayak Jitmuangnon defeats Rui Botelho by Unanimous Decision (UD) after three rounds in the Muay Thai Flyweight bout.

“I was quite excited because this is my first international bout. As I made the entrance, there were lights and music which was so different from  muay thai events in Thailand. I had to calm down and maintained my normal standard but it was not easy. I was a bit too careful as I didn’t want to make any mistake in my first appearance here,” said the 22-yera-old Panpayak.

In the co-main event of the evening, Kiamrian Abbasov of Kyrgyzstan made quick work of hometown favorite Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Malaysia, finishing his opponent midway through the very first round.

At the sound of the opening bell, Abbasov immediately went for a body lock on Thani, taking matters to the ground. Every time Thani would try to get back up to his feet, Abbasov chained his takedowns together to bring it back to the mat. Capitalizing on an opening, Abbasov took Thani’s back and latched onto a rear naked choke to end the night early.

In a spirited clash between two top contenders at ONE women’s atomweight, Malaysia’s Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan put together a well-rounded performance, dominating opponent Jenny “Lady GoGo” Huang of Chinese Taipei over three rounds.

Radzuan connected on various combinations on the feet all throughout the bout, and when the action hit the canvas, Radzuan showed great grappling defense and even attacked with a few submission attempts of her own. Although Huang would remain dangerous off her back, consistently threatening with submissions, Radzuan proved elusive and crafty enough to defend against the majority. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Radzuan to win by unanimous decision.

Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy with Ring girls

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai clash, featherweight Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy emerged victorious, defeating English warrior Liam “Hitman” Harrison by way of knockout.

After a spirited first round of action that saw both men land significant strikes, Petchmorrakot ended matters abruptly in the second frame. Known for his sharp elbow shots, Petchmorrakot landed an elbow right on the button and Harrison was unable to recover.

Former ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash ended the year on a triumphant note, toppling Japanese debutant Yuki “Yu-King” Niimura via first-round submission. After a solid exchange of offense for the majority of the first round, Bigdash was able to trap Niimura in a bad position, catching the arm and the head in a reverse triangle. From dominant position, Bigdash compelled Niimura to wave the white flag with a reverse triangle armbar, reinserting his name into the win column with a statement-making victory.

Japan’s Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta pulled off a major upset in his promotional debut, defeating former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil by way of unanimous decision. Saruta posed problems in both the striking and grappling departments against Silva over the course of three rounds.

The Japanese warrior consistently clipped Silva with crisp combinations. Meanwhile, his unrelenting attacks on the ground overwhelmed Silva in the later rounds as he smoothly secured dominant positions to pound the Brazilian out. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Saruta.

Multiple-time Muay Thai titlist Panpayak Jitmuangnon did not disappoint in his highly-anticipated debut on the ONE Super Series stage, outclassing WKA European Champion Rui Botelho of Portugal.

Panpayak was dominant all throughout, rattling Botelho with stinging kicks to the midsection and even scoring a knockdown in the second round with a roundhouse kick. Botelho managed to keep the bout competitive in the third and final frame, but Panpayak remained dynamic in landing his shots and cruised to a clear-cut unanimous decision win.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, “Jordan Boy” Mohammed Bin Mahmoud of Malaysia sent the crowd at the Axiata Arena into a frenzy after knocking out Stergios “The Greek Dynamite” Mikkios. Mahmoud’s world-class striking was on full display as he easily picked his spots, including a razor-sharp elbow that dazed Mikkios.

Mahmoud then capitalized on Mikkios’ vulnerable state to score a knockdown with a dazzling combination of strikes. Although Mikkios managed to beat the count, Mahmoud dropped him once again, this time with the Greek warrior signaling to the referee that he could no longer continue. The victory was then awarded to the Malaysian hometown hero.

Former ONE World Title challenger Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi of Japan turned in a solid all-around performance, beating Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres of the Philippines via unanimous decision. In every aspect of the match, Yamaguchi was a step ahead of her Filipina opponent.

Yamaguchi picked Torres apart in the stand-up, and easily outmaneuvered her foe on the mat.  After three rounds of action, Yamaguchi did more than enough to earn the win on all three judges’ scorecards.

Cambodian striker Chan Rothana rallied back from a tough opening frame to notch a technical knockout win over Indonesia’s Abro Fernandes. After surviving a series of takedowns and a submission attempt from Fernandes, Rothana turned the tide in the second round with his superior striking. With 54 seconds remaining in the period, Rothana earned the finish with a flurry of strikes, capped off by a well-placed knee that put Fernandes down for good.

Kicking off the action at ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS, Sovannahry Em of Cambodia put on a show in her promotional debut as she made quick work of Ukraine’s Iryna “Delsa” Kyselova. Em effortlessly imposed her will on her opponent, scoring a takedown and latching herself onto Kyselova’s back. In back mount, Em relentlessly pounded Kyselova with solid blows, forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest and award the technical knockout victory to the Cambodian debutante.

Official results for ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS

ONE Super Series Muay Thai Featherweight bout: Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex defeats Luis Regis by Knockout (KO) at 2:08 minutes of round 1

Welterweight bout: Kiamrian Abbasov defeats Agilan Thani by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:35 minutes of round 1

Women’s Atomweight bout: Jihin Radzuan defeats Jenny Huang by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

ONE Super Series Muay Thai Featherweight bout: Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy defeats Liam Harrison by Knockout (KO) at 1:15 minutes of round 2

Middleweight bout: Vitaly Bigdash defeats Yuki Niimura by Submission (Reverse Triangle Armbar) at 4:25 minutes of round 1

Strawweight bout: Yosuke Saruta defeats Alex Silva by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

ONE Super Series Muay Thai Flyweight bout: Panpayak Jitmuangnon defeats Rui Botelho by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

ONE Super Series Muay Thai Bantamweight bout: Mohammed Bin Mahmoud defeats Stergos Mikkios by Knockout (KO) at 2:20 minutes of round 1

Women’s Atomweight bout: Mei Yamaguchi defeats Jomary Torres by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Flyweight bout: Chan Rothana defeats Abro Fernandes by TKO (Strikes) at 4:06 minutes of round 2

Women’s Catch Weight  bout (63.5kgs): Sovannahry Em defeats Iryna Kyselova by TKO (Strikes) at 1:21 minutes of round 1

After being almost becalmed for three hours with little or no wind on a glassy sea, officials sent the keelboats and multihulls back to shore and cancelled the day’s racing in the 11 classes of boats. However, the 107 young sailors contesting the International Dingy Classes were able to race close to shore off Kata Beach in Phuket in slightly better conditions than the bigger boats experienced further out to sea.

Races are being held in the Optimist Boys and Girls, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial, Laser Standard and 420 classes.

Once again, young Thai champion Panwa Boonak left the field in his wake and leads the overall standings in the Boys Optimist Class. Panwa, who won the 2018 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship at the Ngwe Saung Yacht Club & Resort in Myanmar, is way out in front after winning all 10 races held so far in the class.

In second place is promising young sailor M.L. Weka Bhanubandh, a future star in the making, and he is followed by Patihan Vorrasart in third place.

In the Girls Optimist Class, Chalisa Krittanai leads Thofun Boonak and Suchanaree Detthosapol.

In the Laser Standard Class, Chusitt Punjamala had the overall lead after a total of 11 races, with Arthit Mikhail Romanyk second and Chairat Dangdeemark third.

Janisara Sasha Romanyk has the lead in the Laser Radial Class, with Sophia Gail Montgomery second and Voravong Rachrattanaruk third.

Pitchakon Ungpakornkaew was the overall leader in the Laser 4.7 Class and he was followed by Patcharee Sringam in second place, with Nuttapong Yoang-Ngam bringing up third place.

In the 420 Class, which is a team event, Chanokchon Wangsuk and Piyaporn Khemkaew maintained their lead after 11 races. In second place was Intira Parnpiboon and Paliga Poonpat, while Jedtavee Yongyuennam and Chakkaphat Wirriyakitti finished third overall.

The final day’s racing in the 32nd Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will be held on Saturday. H.E. Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, the Personal Representative of His Majesty the King of Thailand, will preside over the Royal Award Ceremony which will be followed by the closing ceremony and prize-giving.

Ratchanok will have to skip the World Super 300 event to keep herself fresh when she defends her title at the Super 500 Malaysia Masters as defending champion the following week. She also has points to defend immediately afterwards at the Indonesia Masters, when she where finished runner-up last year.

The rest of Thailand’s star players, including defending women’s singles champion Nitchaon Jindapol, will test their mettle in the BWF’s 2019 season-opening tournament which is being moved from Supachalasai National Stadium to Hua Mark for the first time.

Nitchaon toppled Pornpawee Chochuwong in an all-Thai clash in January to become the third successive Thai champion in the event, following Ratchanok (2016) and Busanan Ongbamrungphan (2017).

On the men’s side, all of the Kingdom’s top players, led by world No16 Khosit Phetpradab, No 17 Kantaphon Wangcharoen and two-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, will try to become the first Thai man to win the Masters title.

Kantaphon is the only Thai to even reach the men’s final -–he lost to Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia, the two-time defending champion, in 2017.

Double Olympic champion and former world No1 Lin Dan of China will also compete and will be aiming to capture his second title in Bangkok after the 2008 Thailand Open.

World No8 Rawinda Prajongjai and Jongkolphan Kititharakul will lead the Thai challenge in the women’s doubles, which they won earlier this year. In the men’s doubles Tinn Isriyanet who partnered Kittisak Namdash in January may have to find a new partner as Kittisak is still recovering from a knee  injury.

Badminton Association of Thailand president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said the 2019 edition would remain focused of providing entertainment by using state-of-the-art technology to back up the court action.

A new feature called the Screen Badminton Zone will be added, providing fans with a 3D experience of

Aspiring golfers from across the region will begin their battle for the seven coveted Asian Tour cards on offer for the 2020 season when the popular event returns to the Rancho Charnvee Resort and Country Club, on the outskirts of Bangkok.

An attractive prize purse of Bt4 million (US$121,700) will once again be on offer to the 156-man field in the event launched by Thai legend Boonchu Ruangkit, who is giving back to the game by providing playing opportunities for players in the region.

The event was first held as a “bonus” event on the region’s secondary circuit in January 2015, when Thailand’s Raththee Sirithanakunsak emerged victorious.

It returned as the season finale and an Order-of-Merit counting event in December that same year, when Thai prodigy Phachara Khongwatmai sensationally won the title to claim the fifth and final Asian Tour card on offer.

The prestigious trophy has been kept on home soil since as Danthai Boonma and Namchok Tantipokhakul both prevailed in playoffs to win the 2016 and 2017 editions respectively.

Boonchu, who has won five Asian Tour titles and is also a five-time winner on the European Senior Tour, expressed his delight in the return of his tournament as the season-opener for the 2019 ADT season.

“It is a huge honour to be hosting again on the ADT,” he says. “I hope to boost the development of golf in Thailand as well as provide more playing opportunities for aspiring talent through the staging of this event.

“I believe that the ADT is a great platform for players to nurture their games and prepare themselves for the higher levels of golf.

“Nitithorn Thippong and Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij have both earned their cards on the Asian Tour for the 2019 season following their wins this year and I hope more Thai golfers will be inspired by their feats.”

Asian Tour Chief Operating Officer Cho Minn Thant said: “On behalf of the ADT, I would like to express our gratitude towards Boonchu and the All Thailand Golf Tour for their dedication to the development of golf in the region. We are thrilled to be back in Thailand to kick off another exciting season on the ADT.”

Launched in 2010 as the gateway to the region’s premier Tour, the ADT has served as a successful platform for those hoping to make it on the bigger stage.

With Asian Tour cards also up for grabs for the top seven finishers on the ADT Order of Merit, players will be hoping to get a head-start on the merit race.

The death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha shocked global sport and left the small city in the heart of England in mourning two years after their improbable first and only championship season.

The helicopter, decorated in the blue and white colours of the team, spun out of control on takeoff moments after it cleared the stadium’s roof.

Vichai attended most Leicester home matches, landing and taking off from the centre of the pitch.

    Britain’s Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said a series of cockpit pedals had somehow become disconnected from the rotor on the helicopter’s tail.

“The loss of control of the helicopter resulted from the tail rotor actuator control shaft becoming disconnected from the actuator lever mechanism,” the eight-page AAIB report said.

The helicopter began to spin uncontrollably to the right as a result.

The AAIB said it was treating a further probe into what caused the pedals to disconnect “as a priority”.

Europe’s aviation safety authorities have ordered mandatory checks on the type of helicopter involved, finding no other problems to date.

Fresh from his breakthrough in Mauritius last week, the 25-year-old Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate was again in his element as he marked his card with six birdies and one eagle to share second place with Zambia’s Madalitso Muthiya at the Randpark Golf Club.

“It was nice to continue that run from last week. I made a nice long putt on the first and got off to a really hot start. I was four-under through five  and then was kind of in cruise control a little bit, and then the eagle on 14 was nice to get it going again. I could’ve made a few more putts in the middle of the round.  I had some good looks but they just didn’t fall.

“I played well last week in Mauritius and am just kind of riding that momentum. The putter has been really good so far and I’ve just got to continue keeping the confidence up,” said Kitayama.

Home favourite Oosthuizen remains the man to catch after he returned with a 62 to set the early pace. The 2010 Open Championship winner is looking to win his national open for the first time and put up a performance befitting of his status as the highest-ranked player in the field this week.

“Anytime, anywhere, nine-under is always going to feel nice. It was one of those rounds where you don’t really look at any scoreboard or your card, you just play. “I drove it really well and gave myself good opportunities to hit it close and I’m putting nicely, so it was just birdie after birdie. I’m pleased to be in the lead, but there’s a long way to go,” said the South African.

Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva, who won his maiden Asian Tour title in Chinese Taipei in September, opened his account with a 66 to share eighth place with eight other players that also include South Africa’s Ernie Els.

South Africa’s Justin Harding meanwhile signed for a 69 to trail Oosthuizen by seven shots in tied-46th place. Harding, who is currently placed third on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, needs a win this week to stand any chance of topping the money list as the Asian Tour season draws to a close in Jakarta next week.

The South African Open hosted by the City of Joburg is part of The Open Qualifying Series for the 148th Open at Royal Portrush. Spots are given to the leading three players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 10 and ties.

Thailand coach Milovan Rajevac has angrily dismissed the suggestion he should consider resigning following the team’s shock exit in the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals.

The War Elephants lost on away goals to Malaysia, managing only a 2-2 draw in Bangkok on Wednesday after Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate in Kuala Lumpur.

Red-hot striker Adisak Kraisorn, who bagged six goals in the tournament opener and eight overall, went from hero to villain, blazing a do-or-die injury-time penalty over the bar in front of 45,000 stunned fans at the Rajamangala National Stadium.

It was a desperately disappointing end to the Kingdom’s quest for a hat-trick of Suzuki Cup triumphs – indeed, their failure to reach the final for the first time in eight years was a stunning result.

Both the coach and his players had expressed the fullest confidence that the five-time champions would make home advantage count.

When a reporter dared asked the Serbian if he would now “take responsibility” for the shocking outcome, he bristled and fired back: “This kind of question should never be asked here.”

He pointed instead to the fact that his side had lost none of the six games they played in the tournament and had “only” gone out on the away goals rule.

“We never lost to any team but we are out of the tournament because of the away goals,” he protested. “But this is football and we have to move forward.”

Of Adisak’s penalty miss, he said: “I was thinking of changing the penalty taker to someone who was a bit more fresh but it was agreed before the match that Adisak would be the first priority. It was unlucky he missed.”

Nevertheless Rajevac praised Malaysia for put up a brave fight. “In both matches Malaysia definitely showed more determination and aggression than Thailand,” he admitted. “They deserve to be in the final.”

An emotional Adisak Kraisorn apologised to the fans for letting people down.

“I made a mistake I shouldn’t have,” he said of his heartbreaking miss. “I thought too much. This is a lesson learned. I’m truly sorry for the mistake and will keep fighting.”

Thailand will have to quickly put this heartbreaking experience behind them – they will soon be preparing for the AFC Asian Cup which starts next month in the United Arab Emirates.

“We have to concentrate on that competition. We will have additional players who couldn’t play in this competition so we are concentrating on that now,” said Rajevac, who plans to strengthen the team by recruiting key strikers Chanathip Songkrasin and Teerasil Dangda, who currently have commitments in the J-League.

The Malaysian players, now looking forward to a Suzuki Cup final against the winners of last night’s second semi between Vietnam or Philippines, were quick to get their own back on boastful Thai goalkeeper Chatchai Budprom.

He had said before the game that he hoped the visitors had slept well because he could promise them a nightmare defeat in Bangkok.

Some of the Malaysians posted a video of them sleeping in their locker room … and mockingly called out his name, in case anyone should be in any doubt what the joke was about.

The 22-year-old Samut Prakan native is one of the Three Thais in actions in the finale to the One Championships season. The other two are Yodsanklai Iwe Fairtex, who will take on Luis Regis of Australia in a Super Series Muay Thai featherweight bout, and Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy, who will face Liam Harrison of United Kingdom, also in the featherweight division.

“I’m so excited to compete in my first international event. There will be butterflies in my stomach but I will try to cope with it,” said Panpayak, who won the Yod Muay Thai title between 2014-2016 and had the outstanding record of 8-0, 10-2 and 8-1 at the Lumpini Stadium during that time.

“My opponent is a Westerner so he is physically strong. He also has dangerous punches and can come up with unexpected attack. But if I can maintain my level, there shouldn’t be any problem,” said Panpayak, whose real name is Tewan Saengngern.

Panpayak hopes a strong showdown in the One Championship will help him make his mark globally and allow him to create an even better life for his family.

He has already gone far from the tough old days when he had to share a pepsi with four brothers and one sister. His mother used to work for a plastics factory for just Bt300 per day.

“I used to have a difficult life growing up as my mother was the only breadwinner of the family. Boxing has given me a better life as I have enough to buy a home and a car for my family,” he added.

Asked for his view on moves to prevent children under 12 from boxing, Panpayak said the sport was not as harmful as it seemed.

“If you are boxers, you know well how to protect yourselves. I’m physically fine as you can see,” said the senior student at Rattana Bundit University in Bangkok.

She joins the promotion’s list of top mixed martial artists by signing an exclusive multi-bout contract.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “In ONE Championship, we make sure to deliver only the absolute best that Asia and the rest of the world have to offer. I am pleased to announce that Bi Nguyen has decided to sign with ONE Championship. I foresee her as the next superstar in mixed martial arts who will represent Vietnam on the global stage because of her exceptional talent and impressive skill set. We will be seeing her inside the ONE Championship cage very soon. Along with ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen, Bi Nguyen will be an essential part of ONE Championship’s efforts to bring the organization closer to the Vietnamese people. In addition, we would like to showcase both of them as the country’s biggest international martial arts heroes, as we plan to host our first event in Vietnam in September of 2019. ”

Born in Oakland, California, 29-year-old Bi Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American atomweight who sports a professional record of four wins and three losses. Training out of the world-renowned Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Nguyen made her first foray into mixed martial arts in 2014, winning four of her five matches in the amateur ranks in impressive fashion. She turned professional in 2016, racking up three-straight victories to kick things off. Now, “Killer Bee” directs her career path to ONE Championship, where she is set to make her promotional debut in 2019.

Murtaza and his family abandoned their home in southeastern Ghazni province in November, along with hundreds of others fleeing intense fighting after the Taliban launched an offensive in the previously safe area.

Now they are among the thousands of similarly uprooted people struggling to get by in Kabul, and also living with the fear that the Taliban are hunting for their famous son.

The image of Murtaza sporting a makeshift Messi jersey — made of a blue and white striped plastic bag and with Messi’s name and famous number 10 written carefully on the back in felt-tip pen — flooded media and social networks in 2016.

    The media hype drew the football superstar’s attention, and that year Murtaza met his idol in Qatar, where he walked out onto the pitch clutching Messi’s hand as a mascot for a Barcelona friendly.

Messi, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, also gave his tiny fan an autographed jersey and a football.

But the moment of happiness has quickly dissipated.

AFP met with the family recently in the cramped room in Kabul they are renting from another impoverished family, where Murtaza’s mother Shafiqa told how they had fled their home district of Jaghori in the night after hearing gunshots.

“We couldn’t take any of our belongings, we left only with our lives,” she said, her face half hidden by a scarf.

The family belongs to the Shiite-denominated Hazara ethnic group, who were targeted by the Sunni Taliban in their November operation in Ghazni.

The UN says up to 4,000 families fled, with witnesses describing “absolute terror” to AFP. Hundreds of civilians, soldiers, and insurgents were killed in the fighting.

The fear felt by the Ahmadi family was ratcheted up when they learned that the Taliban were searching for the small Murtaza by name.

“(They) said if they capture him, they will cut him into pieces,” Shafiqa said, her eyes horrified.

Sports were rarely tolerated under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, and the Kabul football stadium was a well-known venue for stonings and executions.

Shafiqa said she hid her famous son’s face with a scarf to prevent him from being recognised as they fled.

They took refuge first in a mosque in Bamiyan, before arriving in Kabul six days later. Among their belongings left behind are the football and jersey signed by Messi.

– ‘I miss Messi’ –

Although Afghan security forces have beaten back the Taliban in Jaghori, the family says it no longer feels safe.

“The danger of the Taliban coming back is high, going back is not an option,” Shafiqa said.

The attention they received as a result of Murtaza’s fame has added to their fears, she continued.

“Local strongmen were calling and saying, ‘You have become rich, pay the money you have received from Messi or we will take your son’,” she said.

“At night we would sometimes see unknown men, watching and checking our house, and then the calls. During the days, we wouldn’t dare let him outside home to play with other children.”

The family have already fled once before, to Pakistan in 2016, where they sought asylum in “any safe country”.

They returned reluctantly to Jaghori after their money ran out, Shafiqa said.

Murtaza’s father Arif remains in Jaghori working as a farmer while his family lives in Kabul under precarious conditions, with inadequate shelter, food, water or sanitation available to the refugees.

They are among the more than 300,000 Afghans — 58 percent of whom are under the age of 18 — who have fled their homes due to violence since the beginning of this year alone, according to the most recent tally by the UN’s agency for humanitarian affairs.

Homayoun, Murtaza’s eldest brother who made him his plastic jersey, says that even in Kabul he is afraid. “We are worried something bad will happen if they know who Murtaza is,” he said.

Little Murtaza, meanwhile, says he misses his football and his jersey from Messi.

“I want them back so I can play,” he told AFP.

“I miss Messi,” he added.

“When I meet him, I will say, ‘Salaam’ and ‘How are you?’ Then he will reply saying thank you and be safe, and I will go with him to the pitch where he will play and I will watch him.”