‘70-ft Messi statue in weeks, but metro took decades’: German vlogger questions priorities in Kolkata

KOLKATA'S deep and emotional connection with football has once again grabbed global attention — this time with the unveiling of a towering 70-foot iron statue of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy.

The massive installation, believed to be among the tallest Messi statues in the world, has quickly become a popular attraction for football fans and tourists alike.

However, the spectacle has also sparked a wider online debate on symbolism, national identity and sporting priorities in India.

German travel vlogger Alexander Welder, who recently visited Kolkata, shared a video on Instagram expressing shock at the scale of the statue. Standing in front of the installation, Welder remarked that the surroundings felt less like India and more like Argentina during a World Cup match.

“I just landed in Kolkata, India, and it turns out Lionel Messi is here. The GOAT himself is in Kolkata. It honestly feels like I’m at an Argentina football game, not in India,” he said in the video.

His astonishment soon gave way to criticism when he pointed out that the statue was reportedly completed in just 40 days — a pace he contrasted with the city’s long-running infrastructure delays, including metro projects that have taken decades to materialise.

Taking the argument further in the comments section, Welder questioned whether such grand gestures reflected misplaced priorities. He suggested that resources might have been better directed towards developing India’s own football ecosystem rather than celebrating a foreign superstar.

“Build a statue of another country’s player holding the World Cup, or invest in grassroots football to improve your own chances of qualifying for a World Cup someday — I wonder which option India chose,” he said.

The video quickly went viral, triggering mixed reactions across social media. While some users echoed Welder’s concerns, questioning the relevance of erecting a massive statue of a foreign footballer, others used the moment to highlight deeper issues within Indian sport.

“What has Messi done for India to deserve a statue like this?” one user asked, while another pointed to cultural and systemic barriers. “With a population of over 1.4 billion, we still fail to produce world-class footballers. Children are pushed toward safe careers, while sporting talent is often discouraged early,” a comment read.

At the same time, many fans came out in defence of the statue, arguing that Kolkata’s football culture has long transcended national boundaries. Supporters pointed out the city’s historic emotional ties with international teams such as Argentina and Brazil, particularly during World Cup seasons, and said the installation was a celebration of football as a global language rather than a statement of national achievement.

The Messi statue has once again reignited a familiar debate in Indian sport — the tension between symbolic celebration and long-term investment. While India has one of the world’s largest youth populations, its men’s football team has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, and grassroots infrastructure continues to remain uneven across regions.

Internet reacts

“Build a statue of another nation's player holding the World Cup… or… Use funds to support grassroots football in your own country to improve chances of making their first ever World Cup… Hmm I wonder which one India chose,” a user questioned.

“Despite having a population of 1.46 billion people, our country still struggles to produce world-class players. A major reason is the mindset of our society, where parents prioritise traditional career paths like becoming doctors or engineers over sports and creative fields. Talent is often discouraged before it even has a chance to develop,” another user wrote.

Third user wrote, "Kolkata has always loved football; this is nothing new.”

“This is embarrassing and impressive at the same time,” the fourth wrote.

“Messi has fans all over the world, this is just passion for football,” the fifth wrote.