Statue created by local artist weighs an estimated 70 tons, depicts Messi in his N0 10 Argentina national team jersey
By Our Reporter
Reports say a city in Neuquén Province, Argentina, has launched a 26-m-tall statue of Lionel Messi, said to be the tallest in the world, bigger than previous statue dedicated to the football icon in India.
Ole reports that the statue was officially unveiled in the city of Cutral Co. It is situated along National Highway 22 and Manuel Savio Road at kilometer 1332, serving as a landmark on one of the region’s most vital transportation arteries.
And, according to a report by VN Express The design was conceptualized and created by local artist Aldo Beroisa, depicting Messi in his iconic Argentina national team jersey with the World Cup trophy won in Qatar in 2022.
The exceptional statue was built on a steel frame and heavily covered in concrete, the statue weighs an estimated 70 tons. This scale makes it the largest statue ever built in honor of the Argentine superstar. |
At the inauguration ceremony, city officials noted that the monument serves as both a heartfelt tribute to Messi and a lasting symbol of national pride following Argentina’s World Cup victory.
EN Express also quoted an official press release from Cutral Co., that “the inauguration event drew a massive crowd of locals, tourists and football fans. The gathering was permeated by an atmosphere of excitement, with attendees proudly waving Argentinian flags and wearing national team jerseys.”
But the monument was conceptualized A primarily to boost tourism in Neuquén Province by drawing in fans of Messi and Argentine football from around the globe.
Local authorities were also said to have believed that the structure stands as a powerful cultural symbol while simultaneously enhancing the tourism appeal of Cutral Co, a city already recognized within the province as the “monument capital.”
According to Al Jazeera, before this time, the record for the world’s tallest Messi statue was held by a 21-m structure in Kolkata, India. But the, Kolkata authorities were eventually forced to destroy that statue due to public safety concerns after residents observed it was unstable in the wind.
Coincidentally, the unveiling of the new statue in Argentina occurs with Messi’s ongoing participation with the Argentina national team at the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old superstar has already made an impact in the tournament’s group stage, for being the highest goal scorer ( as of this report)
For instance, the celebrated player scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 opening victory against Algeria, subsequently following it up with a brace in a 2-0 win over Austria. These performances helped him become the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history, with 18 goals.
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