A 21-metre statue of Lionel Messi has been removed in Kolkata after engineers warned that the structure was unsafe.
The sculpture, which showed the Argentina captain lifting the World Cup trophy, was unveiled in December during the football star’s GOAT Tour of India and quickly became a popular local landmark.
Officials said the statue was swaying in strong winds, raising concerns about its structural integrity.
The decision to take it down came less than a year after it was installed. What began as a tribute to Messi’s visit has now become a public safety issue.