Argentina unveils 85-foot Messi statue after Kolkata's 70-foot version dismantled for safety

An 85-foot statue of Lionel Messi has been unveiled in Cutral Có, a remote town in Patagonia, Argentina, just weeks after a 70-foot statue of the footballer was dismantled in Kolkata, India, due to safety concerns. The new statue, created by Argentine sculptor Aldo Beroisa, was completed on June 16 to mark Argentina's World Cup opener.

The Kolkata statue, erected in December 2025, was taken down on June 1 after authorities deemed it unsafe, as it swayed excessively in the wind. In contrast, Beroisa's sculpture in Cutral Có was designed to withstand the harsh Patagonian climate, where winds can reach up to 150 km/h.

The statue depicts Messi on his knees at Lusail Stadium, recreating the moment after Argentina's penalty shootout victory in the 2022 World Cup final. One hand clutches his national jersey, while the other points skyward—a gesture Messi often makes in honor of his late grandmother. The sculpture incorporates approximately 70 tons of steel, along with rebar and three-grade concrete mortar, and uses around 110 structural tubes.

Beroisa, 61, who has previously created giant dinosaurs and monuments to Argentina's independence heroes, spent 18 months on the project. The most challenging aspect was sculpting the face, which stands 4.3 meters tall and weighs about four tons. He dedicated nearly three months to achieving a lifelike resemblance, studying videos and photographs from various angles.

Originally, Beroisa planned to have Messi holding the World Cup trophy aloft. However, engineering calculations determined that the trophy, nearly four meters tall itself, could not be safely held in a raised hand due to wind forces. Instead, the trophy was placed between Messi's knees, at a lower center of gravity. “The original idea was never to place the World Cup trophy between the sculpture’s legs,” Beroisa said. “But physics decided.”

Beroisa expressed pride in the work, noting that Messi, through his humility and dedication, brought joy to the nation. He also acknowledged the admiration for Messi in India, saying, “As Argentines, we feel immense pride and gratitude that a figure from our country inspires such affection in such a distant place.”

The Cutral Có statue now stands as one of the tallest Messi monuments in the world, surpassing the Kolkata version by 15 feet. The local municipality gave Beroisa 18 months to complete the project, which was carried out in a desert region with limited water access. “Carrying out a work of this magnitude under such conditions made the project even more meaningful,” he said.