A ceremony has been held in the city of Cutral Co in Argentina’s Neuquen province to inaugurate what is being described as the tallest statue ever built in honor of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion Lionel Messi, The New York Times reports.
The monument stands 26 meters tall and weighs 70 tonnes. It depicts Messi in Argentina’s national team kit, kneeling with his right hand raised, while a World Cup trophy is placed between his knees.
The project was created by local artist Aldo Beroisa, who worked alongside local residents and construction teams for about a year to complete the structure.
The new statue surpasses a previous 21-meter installation dedicated to Messi in India, making it the largest of its kind in the world.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
