In the city of Mar del Plata, vandals damaged a statue of Argentine national team forward Lionel Messi. According to Ahora Mar del Plata, the perpetrators vandalized the sculpture, breaking it in two pieces.
The statue was located at the entrance of the El Nuevo Mundial cafe. It depicted the athlete in the national team uniform holding the World Cup. The sculpture was installed to honor the Argentine team's triumph at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
An investigation into the incident is currently underway. Authorities must also determine if the statue, which has now been vandalized for the second time, can be repaired. In 2024, the head was torn off the Messi sculpture.
