BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Argentina’s passion for Lionel Messi has taken monumental form during the 2026 World Cup: A statue stands 26 meters tall in a remote town in Patagonia, and a mural signed by over 1,300 fans celebrates the captain who continues to inspire devotion across the country.A giant tribute to MessiA 26-meter-tall (85-foot) figure of Messi made of 70 tons of steel and iron towers over the outskirts of Cutral Co, a remote southern town in Patagonia. The player is kneeling, with the World Cup trophy he won in 2022 between his legs and one arm raised, as if greeting motorists traveling along Route 22.Even the strong Patagonian wind cannot topple this tribute, inaugurated on June 16 during Argentina’s World Cup debut, when the team once again dazzled under Messi, who sealed the victory over Algeria after scoring three goals.Local authorities and the sculptor who designed it say it is the largest monument ever dedicated to the team captain, who turns 39 on Wednesday.
“He is Argentina’s natural ambassador. For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine,” Aldo Beroisa, 61, told The Associated Press.
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