Kolkata’s iconic 70-foot statue of Lionel Messi, unveiled last year by the football superstar himself, could now be removed after an inspection, following a complaint by the locals, found structural flaws in it.
The Public Works Department on Monday conducted a formal inspection of the statue, and found that it had “structural deficiencies” and its centre of gravity was “off the mark”, triggering safety concerns, sources in the administration said.
The sources shared that it has been decided by the authorities to remove the magnificent structure after the inspection conducted within hours of a complaint filed by some residents.
Earlier in the day, a police complaint said to be filed by some local residents alleged that merely five months after its installation, the statue was noticeably “swaying” or “shaking” whenever the city saw strong winds.
The complaint, lodged at the Lake Town Police Station, had sought immediate action from the authorities concerned, with some residents seeking repairs or even permanent relocation of the statue to prevent any untoward incidents, the police said.
The statue, located near the Lake Town Clock Tower, was unveiled on December 13, 2025, when Messi visited Kolkata to kick off his GOAT India tour. But within about five months, it could now be demolished or relocated — following suit days after the football statue outside the Salt Lake Stadium was removed.
A labourer present at the site of the statue told reporters, “From the feet to the body, the statue is shaking. It is possible that something below has cracked. The entire statue is shaking. If such strong winds continue, it may even fall.”
Following the complaint, the police contacted the local administration and the South Dum Dum Municipality. The District Magistrate then directed engineers from the PWD to inspect the structure.
Within hours, the PWD engineers submitted a report stating that the structure is in a bad condition and could fall in the incoming monsoon rains, sources said.
Sources also revealed that the PWD claimed the government had not obtained a no objection certificate from it before installing the statue on what they claimed was PWD land.
Due to these concerns, it has now been decided to remove the statue and necessary arrangements have been made to do so at the earliest.
Controversies have surrounded the Messi statue ever since its inauguration. Back then, football fans had complained on social media that the statue did not resemble the football icon.
The 70-foot statue of Messi holding the World Cup was primarily constructed using an iron skeleton and fiberglass. It was made in a record time of 40 days by the famous artist Monty Paul and his team. On Monday, Paul did not receive any calls from The Indian Express.
On Saturday, the controversial football-themed sculpture was removed from outside the VVIP gate of the Salt Lake Stadium. The 30-foot structure was designed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.