Argentina’s admiration for football icon Lionel Messi has reached new heights after an enormous 85-foot statue was unveiled in his honour following his latest World Cup milestone.
The towering steel monument in the Patagonian town of Cutral Co coincides with Messi’s 39th birthday on Wednesday (today), celebrating both his role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and his continued brilliance at the 2026 tournament.
Constructed from 70 tons of steel, the 26-metre sculpture depicts Messi kneeling in celebration after Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup final. Local artist Aldo Beroisa spent 18 months completing the project.
“He is Argentina’s natural ambassador,” Beroisa said. “For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine.”
Record-breaking World Cup run fuels ‘Messimania’
The unveiling comes shortly after Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
The Argentina captain scored twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria, taking his tally to 18 World Cup goals and moving past former Germany striker Miroslav Klose at the top of the competition’s scoring charts.
The achievement has intensified celebrations across Argentina, where Messi remains a national hero after leading the country to its first world title in 36 years.
Largest Messi statue in the world
The Cutral Co monument is now believed to be the largest statue dedicated to Messi anywhere on the planet.
It surpasses a previous 70-foot tribute erected in Kolkata during a promotional tour in India. That statue was later ordered to be dismantled after local authorities raised concerns about its stability.
The new Argentine structure shows Messi holding his national team jersey and pointing toward the sky, a gesture often associated with tributes to his late grandmother.
More tributes emerge across Argentina
The celebrations are not limited to Patagonia.
In a suburb of Buenos Aires, artist Leonel García recently completed a giant mural featuring Messi alongside the names of 1,300 supporters.
Messi acknowledged the artwork in a video message, thanking fans for their support.
