Tribute turns into roast: Kolkata’s 70-foot ‘Messi’ statue sparks meme storm ahead of inauguration

The moment early images hit social media, users unleashed a flood of jokes, memes and disbelief, questioning how closely the sculpture resembles the Argentine star.

One X user summed up the sentiment bluntly: “I don’t know from which angle it looks like Messi.”

Another couldn’t resist comparing the statue to Kolkata footballer Mehtab Hossain, asking, “Whose statue is this?”

Internet decides the statue is tall — But not Messi

The height of the structure also came under fire, with one user remarking, “How can one of the shortest people have the tallest statue in the world?”

More jokes followed across platforms, ranging from local satire to Bollywood references.

A Meta user quipped, “Finally, there is some justification for the city being painted in the colours of the Argentine flag,” alluding to the blue-and-white mandate introduced under Mamata Banerjee in 2011.

Another joked, “When you order Messi from Meesho,” while someone else added, “The face has become a bit too messy.”

A viral GIF of Messi’s famous 2022 World Cup outburst — “What are you looking at, fool?” — was also repurposed by fans imagining his reaction at the unveiling.

One Facebook user even claimed, “I thought Hrithik Roshan won the World Cup for Brazil.”

Kolkata eyesores

Kolkata has long suffered from a peculiar civic embarrassment — its public statues. Across the city, parks and traffic islands are dotted with odd, disproportionate sculptures that often look more like unintended caricatures than tributes.

From a footballer without a head to figures with limbs shaped like melted wax, these installations have become running jokes for locals.

Even icons like Rabindranath Tagore haven’t been spared: several of his statues, with their awkward poses and distorted expressions, routinely turn into viral memes.

The latest uproar over the badly executed Messi statue only reinforces the city’s contemporary reputation for “accidental comedy” in public art.

What should have been a proud moment for sports lovers now joins Kolkata’s long gallery of tacky to hideous, poorly designed figures.

'A footballer without a head' figure outside Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake — a key venue for Messi's GOAT India Tour 2025

Under the present Mamata Banerjee government, the city has seen a surge in amateurish beautification drives.

While the intention has been to energise public spaces, the execution often falls flat when it comes to sculptures.

The rush to install new statues, sometimes through local committees and low-cost contractors, has resulted in inconsistent quality and bizarre artistic outcomes.

At a time when cities worldwide invest in professional sculptors and curated public art, Kolkata’s chronic problem with amateurish statues continues to make it a laughing stock, according to many.

It highlights a larger civic gap: good intentions, political enthusiasm and cultural pride cannot substitute for skilled artistry and proper oversight.

Fan frenzy builds as event details roll out

However, despite the online roasting, excitement is building for Messi’s highly anticipated visit.

According to a press release from Sujit Bose, the football icon will virtually inaugurate the statue at 10 am.

Messi's day in Kolkata is scheduled to begin with a VIP meet-and-greet from 9:30 to 10:30 am at a confidential venue, offering select fans and dignitaries a rare chance for photos and autographs.

This will be followed by the main event at Salt Lake Stadium between 11 am and 1 pm, where 85,000 spectators are expected to cheer him on.

Adding star power to the occasion, Shah Rukh Khan will join at 11:30 am for a football-meets-Bollywood moment.

Messi is also scheduled to meet Sourav Ganguly and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before departing for Hyderabad by 2 pm.

As Kolkata waits for the big day, its gigantic “Messi” has already become an internet sensation — even before the official ribbon is cut.