Buenos Aires, June 24: Argentina’s passion for Lionel Messi has taken monumental form during the 2026 World Cup: A statue stands 26 metres tall in a remote town in Patagonia, and a mural signed by over 1,300 fans celebrates the captain who continues to inspire devotion across the country.
A giant tribute to Messi
A 26-metre-tall figure of Messi made of 70 tons of steel and iron towers over the outskirts of Cutral Co, a remote southern town in Patagonia. The player is kneeling, with the World Cup trophy he won in 2022 between his legs and one arm raised, as if greeting motorists travelling along Route 22.
Even the strong Patagonian wind cannot topple this tribute, inaugurated on June 16 during Argentina’s World Cup debut, when the team once again dazzled under Messi, who sealed the victory over Algeria after scoring three goals.
Local authorities and the sculptor who designed it say it is the largest monument ever dedicated to the team captain, who turns 39 on Wednesday.
The sculptor has designed giant dinosaurs and monuments to his country’s independence heroes in Cutral Co, an oil-producing town that has never attracted nearly as much attention as other Patagonian communities surrounded by picturesque lakes and mountains.
Now, the town is filling up with admirers who want to see the statue of the football player who has scored 18 goals since making his World Cup debut in 2006. He achieved the record as the tournament’s top scorer this week, after netting both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.
The statue, which took 18 months to complete, depicts Messi falling to his knees on the grass at Lusail Stadium in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup final after Gonzalo Montiel sealed Argentina’s 4-2 shootout victory over France and crowned the country world champion.
The statue also depicts the captain clutching Argentina’s jersey with one hand and pointing to the sky with his index finger, as he often does when he scores a goal, in tribute to his late grandmother.
A mural made by fans
There are many murals of Messi around the world. However, the one painted in the Buenos Aires suburb of Berazategui stands out: The player’s smiling face is surrounded by the names of hundreds of his admirers.
The mural, which is about six meters wide and 5.5 metres high, caught Messi’s attention.
“Crazy … thank you very much to all of you, to the people who supported it, who came by, and who keep coming by,” Messi said in a video sent to the creators.
The mural was painted in 18 days. Creator Leonel Garcia collaborated with Federico Merodo, the owner of the parking lot where the wall that served as the canvas was built.
The hyperrealistic portrait posed a huge challenge, given that it depicts one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
The image is inspired by a gesture Messi made during a friendly match after Argentina’s triumph in Qatar, when he appeared relaxed and seemed to be enjoying the game. (AP)
