Idman.biz
The 21-meter statue of Lionel Messi, the forward for the US's "Inter Miami" football team and captain of the Argentinian national team, erected in India, is planned to be dismantled.
Idman.Biz reports that this is due to the structure not being considered safe. Officials in the state of West Bengal have stated that the statue swayed in strong winds.
"The statue of the legend of Argentinian football is not safe. We observed the statue swaying in the wind," said Sharadvat Mukerji, a member of the legislative assembly of West Bengal.
After inspection, the statue was reinforced with strong cables. Fences have been erected to prevent people and vehicles from approaching the area. Officials are also considering the option of installing the statue in another location.
Messi remotely participated in the opening of the statue during his visit to India in December 2025. The footballer appeared on a video screen and pressed the opening button via remote control. Later, the Argentinian star visited four cities in India.
