Authorities in Kolkata, West Bengal, removed a giant statue of football legend Lionel Messi on Monday due to safety concerns. The 21-meter (70-foot) statue, which depicted Messi lifting the World Cup trophy, was dismantled after locals reported it swaying dangerously in the wind. State lawmaker Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed that the statue would be stored in a government warehouse while officials decide on a new location. The statue was unveiled in December during Messi's highly publicized GOAT tour of India. Its removal comes amid a political shift in West Bengal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party recently took power, leading to scrutiny of projects associated with the previous Trinamool Congress government. The new BJP sports minister, Nisith Pramanik, criticized the statue as "unsightly." Despite being a cricket powerhouse, India has struggled on the international football stage, currently ranking 142nd in FIFA, although football remains the country's second-favorite sport according to Nielsen research.