Structural instability forces removal of Messi statue in Kolkata
Engineers cite wind-induced swaying as the primary reason for the planned dismantling of the golden monument, which was erected during the footballer’s December promotional tour.
Workers in Kolkata, West Bengal, have begun securing a 21-metre golden statue of Lionel Messi with ropes after government engineers declared the structure unsafe due to instability in windy conditions. The sculpture, which depicts the 38-year-old footballer raising the World Cup trophy, was unveiled in December during Messi’s promotional tour of India and currently looms over a busy road in the eastern city.
West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed that the West Bengal government’s engineers assessed the monument as unsafe, citing significant swaying when exposed to wind. He told the AFP news agency that the removal process is proving difficult and that authorities are planning to dismantle the statue at the earliest opportunity, though no specific timeline has been provided.
On Wednesday, workers were observed scrambling up the structure to throw ropes around its shoulders in an attempt to stabilise it. Mukherjee noted that while the intention to remove the statue is clear, the execution has been more complex than anticipated. It remains unclear whether the monument will be re-erected at a different location or discarded entirely.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of growing football popularity in India, a nation of 1.4 billion people that is traditionally a cricket powerhouse. Nielsen research released on Wednesday indicates that football is now the country’s second favourite sport, despite the Indian national team ranking 142nd in FIFA.
Argentina is scheduled to begin its World Cup campaign on 16 June against Algeria in Kansas City. Messi has not formally confirmed his participation in the tournament, but is widely expected to return for what would be a record-matching sixth appearance at the event, where he previously led his side to victory in Qatar four years ago.
