26-meter monument erected in Cutral Co recreates the 2022 victory, while mural in Buenos Aires gathers signatures from over 1,300 admirers of the Argentine captain during the 2026 World Cup in the country
A statue of Messi, 26 meters tall and 70 tons of steel and iron, was inaugurated in Cutral Co, in Argentine Patagonia, on June 16. The work depicts the captain kneeling with the trophy won in 2022 and already attracts admirers to the oil-producing city.
Messi statue took 18 months to be completed
Installed on the outskirts of Cutral Co, near Highway 22, the monument shows Lionel Messi kneeling, with the World Cup trophy between his legs and one arm raised towards the sky.
The statue was inaugurated on June 16. According to local authorities and the project leader, it is the largest monument ever dedicated to the Argentine captain.
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The work was built to withstand the strong winds of Patagonia. It took 18 months of work to assemble the structure, made up of 70 tons of steel and iron and equivalent to the approximate height of a multi-story building.
The project was led by sculptor Aldo Beroisa, 61 years old. He has previously produced giant dinosaurs and monuments dedicated to characters from Argentine independence, also installed in Cutral Co.
“He is the natural ambassador of Argentina. For me, this was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine,” Beroisa told the Associated Press.
Messi statue recreates the moment of the 2022 world title
The chosen position for Messi’s statue was inspired by the 2022 World Cup final, held at Lusail Stadium, Qatar. On that occasion, Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties.
The monument represents the moment when Messi fell to his knees on the field after Gonzalo Montiel converted the penalty that confirmed Argentina’s world title.
The sculpture also shows the player holding the national team jersey with one hand and pointing his index finger to the sky.
The gesture is repeated by Messi in his celebrations and represents a tribute to his deceased grandmother.
The installation brought new movement to the city, which did not have the same tourist projection as other Patagonian locations known for lakes and mountains. Admirers began to travel to Cutral Co to observe the monument.
Mural gathers signatures from over 1,300 admirers
Another tribute to the player was produced in Berazategui, in the Buenos Aires region. A mural approximately six meters wide and 5.5 meters high features Messi’s smiling face surrounded by the names of his admirers.
More than 1,300 people participated in the project by writing their names on the painting. Some traveled from different cities to Berazategui to leave their signature on the site.
The mural was completed in 18 days by artist Leonel García, 32, in partnership with Federico Merodo, owner of the parking lot where the wall used as a canvas was built.
“This is a mural that I did not make alone. Besides me painting it, it was made by more than 1,300 people,” declared García.
The hyper-realistic portrait was inspired by an expression of Messi during a friendly match held after the title won in Qatar.
The player himself sent a video message thanking the participants and the people who visited the work.
For García, the tribute also represents the player’s ability to bring together Argentinians from different regions, social classes, and political positions around the same sports symbol.
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