Footballing legend Diego Maradona has been honoured with a statue of a bronze sculpture in Kolkata, India. However, social media had ridiculed the statue in typical fashion, but to be fair, It’s completely understandable.
The 12-foot statue of the 1986 World Cup winner holding aloft the World Cup in Mexico. But just like the Christiano Ronaldo bust which was unveiled at Madeira Airport earlier this year, this sculpture looks nothing like the Argentine legend.
Many people are saying it looks more like Crystal Palace manager, Roy Hodgson. Many are tweeting that it looks more like Bobby Ewing from 1980s TV series Dallas, or Mrs Brown character form Mrs Brown's Boys.
Maradona was in Kolkata for a charity event and the unveiling of the “masterpiece”. He spoke to reporters but he didn’t mention anything about its strange look, but actually seemed genuinely happy to have been honoured in such a way.
“I am not god of football but a simple footballer,” a smiling Maradona said. “I’m happy to be here in Kolkata again. It’s amazing to have my statue here.”
At the event, the former Barcelona and Napoli star handed out cheques to cancer patients. There were thousands of adoring fans at the event, some endangering their lives to get a glimpse of the legend, and even at 57, it shows Maradona is still revered in the footballing world.
As bad as the statue is, it is obviously an honour for Maradona, as it was Ronaldo. Both players are not the only footballers to have been immortalised by statues, and they’re not the only ones that have attracted controversy.
A statue of current Argentina captain Lionel Messi was vandalised in Buenos Aires. It’s the second time this year, the statue has been vandalised, and so the state decided to replace it with a pair of football boots.
All three players are revered around the world. They bring happiness to millions of people, and a statue of a legend is a great way to honour them. However, the Maradona statue and the Ronaldo bust are particularly funny, and will no doubt become endeared for their ridiculousness rather than for who they represent.
Sources:
www.easyxapp.com
www.nyt.com
www.theworldgame.sbs.com.au
ibtimes.co.in
