Statue to honour World Cup winner Lionel Messi, unveiled throughout his GOAT tour of India, unstable on busy Kolkata street.
Printed On 27 Could 2026
A large statue of soccer famous person Lionel Messi erected in India to mark his go to final yr is “swaying within the wind” and will likely be eliminated, a lawmaker has mentioned.
Staff have scrambled up the 21-metre (70ft) golden-coloured statue within the jap metropolis of Kolkata in West Bengal, throwing ropes round its shoulders to safe it.
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The sculpture displaying the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami participant elevating the World Cup trophy was unveiled throughout Messi’s GOAT Tour (Biggest of all Time Tour) of India in December.
However West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee mentioned it was not protected.
“The statue of the Argentine soccer legend within the metropolis of Kolkata was discovered unsafe by engineers of the West Bengal authorities,” he informed the AFP information company.
“We’ve got seen that the statue is swaying within the wind.”
Staff on Wednesday used ropes to try to safe the statue, which looms over a busy street.
Mukherjee mentioned it was not clear when it will be introduced down.
“Removing has proved simpler mentioned than finished,” he mentioned. “We’re planning to take away the statue on the earliest alternative.”
He didn’t say whether or not the statue could be re-erected at one other web site.
Argentina is about to start its World Cup marketing campaign on June 16 towards Algeria in Kansas Metropolis.
Messi has not formally confirmed his plans to play within the World Cup, however is extensively anticipated to return for what could be a record-matching sixth look on the match.
He stays the aspect’s talisman for the defence of the title they received in Qatar 4 years in the past.
India – a nation of 1.4 billion – is a cricket powerhouse, however struggles on the soccer pitch and is 142nd on the FIFA rankings.
Soccer, nonetheless, is the nation’s second favorite sport, in accordance with analysis by information firm Nielsen launched on Wednesday.
