Lionel Messi‘s legendary status has led to numerous grand tributes, each more remarkable than the last as fans continue to celebrate his extraordinary career.
As the esteemed Argentina icon approaches his 39th birthday on Wednesday, he made headlines this past Monday by breaking Miroslav Klose’s record for the most goals in World Cup history with his 17th and 18th goals in a 2-0 victory over Austria.
In a remote Patagonian town called Cutral Co, Messi was recently honored with a monumental tribute: an 85-foot (26-meter) statue, the largest yet dedicated to him. While some might argue about its resemblance, its massive construction, weighing 70 tons, is truly impressive.
This isn’t the first oversized tribute to Messi, and the last attempt didn’t go quite as planned.
The 70-Foot Messi Statue in India
In December, Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, toured India for a promotional event dubbed the “GOAT Tour.” A highlight of the tour was a massive 70-foot (21.3 meters) statue of Messi created in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Constructed over 27 days, this statue was hailed as the largest of any footballer. However, local authorities deemed it unsafe due to its substantial size and ordered its removal earlier this month.
West Bengal lawmaker Sharadwat Mukherjee stated, “The statue of the Argentine football legend was found [to be] unsafe. We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind.”
Officials have considered relocating the statue, but now Messi’s fans have unveiled an even larger monument back home in Argentina.
The famous statue of Lionel Messi in India has been removed 😳
The statue will be temporarily taken down and re-located, as the current location was not stable enough 😅 pic.twitter.com/7qfDD9DfBM
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 1, 2026
Patagonia Sculpture: The Tallest Messi Statue Yet
Cutral Co, an oil-producing town that typically doesn’t attract much tourism compared to other scenic Patagonian destinations, has seen a surge in visitors since the statue’s inauguration on June 16, timed with Argentina’s World Cup opener.
Local sculptor Aldo Beroisa, age 61, known for creating giant dinosaurs and monuments to national heroes, expressed the significance of this project: “He is Argentina’s natural ambassador. For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine.” The statue, which took 18 months to complete, depicts Messi kneeling on the grass during the 2022 World Cup final at Lusail Stadium, celebrating Argentina’s victory and clutching the national jersey while pointing skyward in tribute to his late grandmother.
Tributes for Messi during this World Cup go beyond just statues.
An impressive mural in a Buenos Aires suburb, measuring approximately 20 feet wide and 18 feet high (six meters by 5.5 meters), features the names of 1,300 supporters who traveled from various towns to contribute to the project.
Messi expressed his gratitude in a video to the mural’s creators, saying, “Crazy … thank you very much to all of you, to the people who supported it, who came by, and who keep coming by.” The mural took artist Leonel García 18 days to complete and is inspired by a moment during a friendly match after Argentina’s World Cup triumph when Messi appeared relaxed and joyful.
García noted, “This is a mural that I didn’t make by myself. Beyond the fact that I painted it, it was made by more than 1,300 people. Messi brings joy to the country … Messi unites everyone … and the mural does that too, because people from everywhere come together here, from every social class and every political sector.”
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.