A giant statue of Lionel Messi in Kolkata, India, is set to be removed due to safety concerns after engineers reported that it is swaying in the wind. The 21-meter (70-foot) golden statue, which depicts the Argentine football star raising the World Cup trophy, was unveiled during Messi's visit to India in December 2022 as part of his GOAT Tour. West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee highlighted the statue's instability, stating that workers have been trying to secure it with ropes. However, he mentioned that the removal process is more complicated than anticipated, and it remains uncertain when the statue will be taken down. Mukherjee did not specify whether the statue would be relocated to another site. Despite being a cricket powerhouse, India ranks 142nd in FIFA football rankings, yet football remains the country's second favorite sport according to recent research.