Thieves Steal Half Of Lionel Messi’s Statue In Buenos Aires (Photos)

The bronze statue of Barcelona star, Lionel Messi, has been chopped in half in a bizarre act of vandalism.

The sculpture, which was only unveiled in Buenos Aires in June but is now in need of urgent repair after the head, arms and torso were removed, hours before Messi missed out on FIFA award..

The statue, which is one of several tributes to Argentinian sports stars along Glory Street in the country’s capital, was erected last summer after Messi announced his decision to retire from the national side.

The police have not made any announcement about the perpetrators.

The Buenos Aires municipal government said in a statement, which read;

‘The statue of Lionel Messi… was victim of an act of vandalism that left the footballer’s sculpture without its top half,’
‘The city government is already working on its repair.’