70-Foot Lionel Messi Statue Removed After Safety Scare In Kolkata

A 70‑foot statue of Lionel Messi in Kolkata’s Lake Town was dismantled and removed on Monday, June 1, after local residents reported that it was swaying dangerously in strong winds. The Public Works Department (PWD) conducted an inspection of the statue, flagged structural instability, and the newly elected West Bengal government ordered its dismantling. The statue, which shows Messi lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy, was inaugurated by the Argentine player in December during his "GOAT Tour" visit.

Workers remove Messi's statue
PWD workers use a crane to remove a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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Workers remove Lionel Messis statue
A giant statue of Argentine football star Lionel Messi is dismantled after concerns over the poor construction of its base ahead of its relocation to a new site in Kolkata, India. | Photo: AP/Bikas Das
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Lionel Messi Statue Kolkata
PWD workers shift a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi on a trailer, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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Lionel Messi Statue Structural Hazard
PWD workers use a crane to remove a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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Lionel Messi Statue Relocated
PWD workers use a crane to dismantle a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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Lionel Messi Statue Relocated
PWD workers use a crane to remove a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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Lionel Messi Statue Kolkata
PWD workers use a crane to dismantle a statue of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, in Kolkata. | Photo: PTI/Swapan Mahapatra
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