Buenos Aires, Nov 30 (NA) -- A statue of Lionel Messi was found with its legs ripped off in the early hours of Sunday in Mar del Plata, reopening the debate over the repeated attacks it has suffered for over a year. The tribute, located on the corner of Moreno and Santa Fe streets in the coastal city and originally commissioned by a Mar del Plata bar in 2018, was rebuilt in 2024 following the World Cup victory in Qatar, and has once again become a target of vandalism, with no connection to the footballer himself. According to the Argentine News Agency, the most recent precedent had been the beheading of the bust, an episode that is now repeating with another severe damage: this time to the legs and torso of the statue of the Argentine captain. The incident comes amid tension between the AFA (Argentine Football Association) and the National Government, a scenario that has multiplied murals and critical expressions related to refereeing decisions and the title awarded to Rosario Central. In this climate, part of the public discussion shifted towards criticisms of Claudio Tapia, although nothing indicates that the attack on the statue responds to that dispute. The bar's management avoided making statements, annoyed by the damage and the work involved in restoring the figure again.
