Kolkata to Remove Giant Messi Statue Due to Safety Concerns
Giant Messi statue in India's Kolkata will be removed over safety concerns

Image: Khaleej Times
A 21-meter statue of Lionel Messi in Kolkata, India, will be removed after engineers deemed it unsafe due to swaying in the wind. The statue was unveiled during Messi's visit in December 2022 as part of his GOAT Tour. The timeline for removal is unclear.
- 01The statue, which stands 21 meters tall, depicts Messi raising the World Cup trophy.
- 02West Bengal legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed the statue's instability, noting it sways in the wind.
- 03Workers have attempted to secure the statue with ropes, but removal is proving challenging.
- 04There is currently no plan for re-erecting the statue at a different location.
- 05Football ranks as India's second favorite sport despite the country being 142nd in FIFA rankings.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
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.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The removal of the statue may affect local tourism and public interest in football.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
What do you think about the removal of the Messi statue?
Connecting to poll...
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.





