Argentina Celebrates Messi with Colossal Statue and Fan Mural During 2026 World Cup

Argentina has unveiled monumental tributes to Lionel Messi during the 2026 World Cup, including a 26-meter-tall (85-foot) statue in the remote Patagonian town of Cutral Có and a mural signed by over 1,300 fans in Berazategui. The statue, made of 70 tons of steel and iron, depicts the captain kneeling with the 2022 World Cup trophy between his legs and one arm raised, as if greeting motorists on Route 22. Inaugurated on June 16 during Argentina’s World Cup debut—where Messi scored a hat-trick in a victory over Algeria—it is touted as the largest monument ever dedicated to the football legend, who turns 39 on June 24.

Sculptor Aldo Beroisa, who previously designed giant dinosaurs and independence heroes in Cutral Có, said the statue represents Messi collapsing to his knees after Gonzalo Montiel’s winning penalty in the 2022 final, a moment of triumph and exhaustion. The work, which took 18 months and a team of 20 people, features an internal steel and iron structure covered in concrete. Its head alone weighs four tons, and the raised arm weighs 3,800 kilograms. Mayor Ramón Rioseco noted that Messi is aware of the statue through the Argentine Football Association, and described the project as a creative contribution to art in a desert region lacking natural lakes or mountains.

In the Buenos Aires suburb of Berazategui, a hyperrealistic mural measuring about six meters wide and 5.5 meters high (20 by 18 feet) shows a smiling Messi, surrounded by the names of hundreds of admirers who traveled from different towns to participate. Creator Leonel García collaborated with parking lot owner Federico Merodo to complete the mural in 18 days, inspired by a relaxed gesture Messi made during a friendly match after Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph. Messi himself acknowledged the tribute in a video, saying, “Crazy … thank you very much to all of you.”

Messi’s World Cup campaign has also been historic on the field: he recently became the tournament’s all-time top scorer after netting both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, bringing his total to 18 goals since his World Cup debut in 2006. The statue and mural reflect the deep admiration of Argentine fans, with García noting that “Messi brings joy to the country … he unites everyone.” The massive monument in Cutral Có now draws visitors eager to see the tribute to their national hero, standing as a symbol of passion and creativity in the vast Patagonian landscape.