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By Gianni Taina
Lionel Messi was honored with a monumental tribute in India in December 2025, when a towering 70-foot statue was erected in his likeness in the soccer-mad city of Kolkata, West Bengal. However, less than six months after its grand opening, local authorities have confirmed that the massive monument must be removed from the public square over major public safety hazards.
The statue, which made its public debut during Messi’s high-profile promotional appearance in India for the “GOAT Tour” last winter, is being taken down after West Bengal state lawmaker Sharadwat Mukherjee revealed that the structure had become a ticking time bomb.
“Engineers from the West Bengal government have officially determined that the statue of the Argentine football legend in Kolkata is structurally unsound,” Mukherjee stated to news agency AFP. “We have noted that the statue visibly sways in heavy winds”.
Because the giant monument is situated in a heavily congested, bustling downtown area, the lawmaker admitted that taking it down safely is “easier said than done”. Nevertheless, he emphasized that municipal crews plan to “remove the statue at the earliest opportunity“.
Messi’s statue in India. (X/Twitter)
As an emergency stopgap, city workers have used industrial-strength ropes to anchor the structure and prevent it from swaying further while they finalize the demolition and removal logistics.
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The safety issues surrounding the monument add another troubled chapter to what was an incredibly volatile tour of India for the Inter Miami superstar. Following the initial unveiling of the monument, tens of thousands of raucous supporters packed into Kolkata’s iconic Salt Lake Stadium eager to catch a glimpse of the icon.
However, Messi’s brief appearance—lasting no more than 15 minutes while flanked by an intense, restrictive security detail—sparked widespread frustration among the crowd.
The situation completely deteriorated when a series of major security breaches allowed dozens of pitch-invaders to bypass barriers and sprint onto the field to reach the Argentine captain. Fearing for Messi’s physical safety, his personal security team made the swift decision to evacuate him from Salt Lake Stadium ahead of schedule.
Messi’s abrupt exit triggered a full-blown riot in the stands. Infuriated fans began ripping up plastic stadium seats, throwing debris, and hurling projectiles onto the pitch and the surrounding running track, turning the stadium into a scene of absolute chaos.
Fans throw chairs and storm on to the field during Messi’s visit. (Getty Images)
Despite the frightening security breakdown in Kolkata, the rest of the Argentine maestro’s promotional tour across the subcontinent proceeded without further incident. Messi successfully traveled to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, participating in a variety of scheduled corporate events and youth clinics under significantly tighter security protocols.
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