"We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind." That quote, from West Bengal legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee, pretty much sums up the fate of Kolkata's 70-foot golden tribute to Lionel Messi — a structure that took 45 workers 27 days to build and lasted barely five months before engineers declared it unsafe.
The fibreglass and iron monument on VIP Road in Lake Town was installed by Sree Bhumi Sporting Club and unveiled during Messi's "GOAT Tour" visit to Kolkata in December. It depicts him lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy — the peak of his legend, frozen in gold. Now workers are up on the thing tying nylon ropes around its shoulders just to stop it tipping over, while barricades block off the surrounding streets.
A removal easier said than done
Mukherjee, confirming the Public Works Department's findings, admitted that dismantling the statue won't be straightforward. It's sitting next to a busy road and near a subway area. "Removal has proved easier said than done," he said. No timeline has been confirmed, and it's still unclear whether the statue will be relocated rather than scrapped entirely.
The statue's structural problems aren't even the only mess left over from the Messi visit. The GOAT Tour has since generated a separate complaint filed by organiser Satadru Dutta against former West Bengal sports minister Arup Biswas, alleging ticket misuse and pressure over access cards. At Salt Lake Stadium on the night itself, fans who'd paid steep ticket prices reportedly watched VIPs and political figures monopolise access to Messi while they saw nothing. Crowd disorder followed. Police intervened.
A high-profile sporting event, a structural engineering failure, and a political scandal — all connected to one visit.
Messi, meanwhile, is headed somewhere else
None of this will land on Messi personally. He's still playing for Inter Miami, still expected to be part of Argentina's squad for the 2026 World Cup — a 35-player shortlist was confirmed on May 21, with the final 26 due by May 28-29. Argentina begin their title defence against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.
West Bengal's love for Argentina runs deep — it's one of the most passionate pockets of Albiceleste support anywhere outside South America. The statue was meant to cement that connection. Instead it's being held up with rope while authorities figure out what to do next.
