It stands 26 meters tall, took a year to build, and was born as a tribute to the greatest idol of Argentine football. But as soon as its images went viral, social media did its thing: some applaud the effort, while others say it looks nothing like Lionel Messi.
The work was created by artist Aldo Beroisa in Neuquén and attempts to recreate Messi’s iconic celebration after winning the 2022 Qatar World Cup. However, the comments were ruthless: from those who called it “ugly” to those who gave it viral nicknames that have little to do with the Argentine captain.
And here comes the question: should a statue be a perfect copy of the person it honors, or are the intention, the story, and the affection behind the work enough?