Messi’s GOAT statue in India to be removed over safety concerns | OneFootball

A 70ft statue of Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi is coming down in India, less than six months after its unveiling during his “GOAT” Tour.

The statue, which only vaguely resembles the 38-year-old player raising the World Cup trophy, had drawn criticism for its appearance when it was erected in the eastern city of Kolkata last December.

The golden-coloured statue was reportedly seen swaying in the wind, prompting authorities to throw ropes around its shoulders to secure it in place.

"The statue of the Argentinian football legend in the city of Kolkata was found unsafe by engineers of the West Bengal government," Sharadwat Mukherjee, a state lawmaker, told the AFP news agency.

“We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind.”

Lionel Messi’s statue in Kolkata (Wion/Youtube)

Engineers of the Public Works Department conducted an inspection of the statue on Monday after the harnessing was completed and found it to be "unsafe".

It was not yet clear when the statue, installed next to a busy road in the heart of the city, would be brought down.

“Removal has proved easier said than done,” Mr Mukherjee said. “We’re planning to remove the statue at the earliest opportunity."

The statue was commissioned by a local football club whose president, Sujit Bose, was later taken into custody over corruption allegations. Mr Bose was a lawmaker under the state’s previous government.

The statue was virtually unveiled by the footballer himself, who appeared on a video screen pushing a button on a remote control.

It was built to mark his visit to the city during his India tour along Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul.

The visit to Kolkata would turn violent, with fans ripping up seats and hurling them onto the pitch of the Salt Lake Stadium. Thousands of fans, who had paid as much as £100 or more, said the 2022 World Cup champion’s appearance was too brief, lasting about 20 minutes.