Giant Messi Statue in India to Be Removed Over Safety Concerns

A towering 21 metre golden statue of football legend Lionel Messi is set to be dismantled in Kolkata, India, after government engineers deemed the massive structure completely unsafe. The massive sculpture, which depicts the Argentine star lifting the World Cup trophy, was erected just last year to celebrate Messi's "GOAT Tour of India" in December. The decision to take down the statue was made after alarming reports that the massive structure was visibly unstable. West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed that local government engineers inspected the site and ruled it a public hazard. "We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind," Mukherjee explained, noting the danger it poses as it looms directly over a busy city road. Workers recently scrambled up the golden figure, throwing thick ropes around its shoulders in a desperate attempt to stabilize it from rain, thunderstorms, and heavy winds until it can be fully dismantled. However, taking down the colossal tribute is proving to be a massive challenge. "Removal has proved easier said than done," Mukherjee admitted to reporters, though he assured the public that they are planning to take it down at the earliest possible opportunity. Currently, officials have not confirmed whether the towering statue of the 38-year-old Inter Miami star will be repaired and re-erected at a safer location or scrapped entirely. Despite being a cricket-obsessed nation, football remains immensely popular in India, especially in regions like Kolkata, where thousands originally celebrated the statue's grand unveiling just a few months ago.