A giant statue of football icon Lionel Messi has been removed in India after officials reported it was swaying dangerously in strong winds, prompting a rapid dismantling operation in the eastern city of Kolkata.
Key takeaways
- The Messi statue was taken down after it was seen moving dangerously in the wind.
- Authorities used hydraulic cranes and ropes to dismantle the 21-metre sculpture in Kolkata.
- The artwork, which had been installed to celebrate Messi’s World Cup-winning imagery, was transported on an open-top flatbed truck.
- Local complaints about the statue swaying were cited as the reason for its removal.
- Officials said the statue will be stored in a government warehouse while a replacement site is selected.
- The statue’s appearance became politically sensitive amid West Bengal’s recent shift in power.
Removal operation in Kolkata
Workers dismantled the 21-metre (70-foot) gold-coloured sculpture in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, after it was identified as a safety concern due to wind-driven movement. Hydraulic cranes and ropes were used to take the structure apart before it was carried away on an open-top flatbed truck.
State legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee said the statue was taken down on Monday afternoon, following complaints from residents who said it was swaying in the wind.
Mukherjee added that the statue will be kept in a government warehouse while authorities determine where it will be placed next.
Unveiled for Messi’s India tour and later political debate
The statue showed Messi, aged 38, holding the World Cup trophy and was unveiled in December during his widely publicised “GOAT tour” of India.
Messi is expected to captain Argentina at the upcoming World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The statue also attracted attention as political dynamics changed in West Bengal. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won office last month, defeating the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC), the installation became part of a wider debate.
It was widely reported that the statue was created under the patronage of former chief minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, and it faced criticism from the new BJP sports minister, Nisith Pramanik, who described it as “unsightly.”
India’s football standing
While India is home to a population of about 1.4 billion and is widely regarded as a cricket powerhouse, it has generally struggled to establish itself on the international football stage. The country currently sits 142nd in the FIFA rankings.
That said, football remains a major interest for many fans in India, with recent research by data firm Nielsen describing it as the nation’s second-favourite sport.
