"Who Signed This Off?" Lionel Messi's 85-Foot Statue In Argentina Has Fans Divided
Sculpted from 70 tonnes of steel and iron, the monument showcases Lionel Messi sliding on his knees, as if greeting motorists traveling along Route 22.
An 85-foot statue of superstar footballer Lionel Messi was recently unveiled in Cutral Co, a remote town in Patagonia, Argentina. Sculpted from 70 tonnes of steel and iron, the monument showcases Messi sliding on his knees, as if greeting motorists traveling along Route 22. While tourists have gathered in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the statue, the sculpture has sparked intense debate among fans across social media. Major complaints regarding the structure included the positioning of the World Cup trophy, as well as a lack of detail in the face and upper torso.
Argentina unveils giant Lionel Messi statue in Patagonia during World Cup pic.twitter.com/dfx9cPKV7H
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) June 25, 2026
Asked Grok to bring the image to life and here is the result
— Shikhar Sagar (@crazy__shikhu) June 26, 2026
The sculptor said "hold my beer" with that trophy placement
From the right angle it's not the World Cup he's celebrating anymore
Who signed this off? https://t.co/3U4tJQCXCh pic.twitter.com/wSuXbtZYqu
If I were as famous as Messi and someone make my statue like this where they put World Cup trophy at that place. I would do defamation case against them. https://t.co/ZPITCqOn1L
— ved frost (@Jnana267) June 26, 2026
Local authorities and the sculptor who designed it say it is the largest monument ever dedicated to the team captain, who turns 39 on Wednesday.
"He is Argentina's natural ambassador. For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine," Aldo Beroisa, 61, told The Associated Press.
The sculptor has designed giant dinosaurs and monuments to his country's independence heroes in Cutral Co, an oil-producing town that has never attracted nearly as much attention as other Patagonian communities surrounded by picturesque lakes and mountains.
Now, the town is filling up with admirers who want to see the statue of the soccer player who has scored 18 goals since making his World Cup debut in 2006. He achieved the record as the tournament's top scorer this week, after netting both goals in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria.
The statue, which took 18 months to complete, depicts Messi falling to his knees on the grass at Lusail Stadium in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup final after Gonzalo Montiel sealed Argentina's 4-2 shootout victory over France and crowned the country world champion.
The statue also depicts the captain clutching Argentina's jersey with one hand and pointing to the sky with his index finger, as he often does when he scores a goal, in tribute to his late grandmother.
(With AP Inputs)
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