A small town in Patagonia has unveiled a giant statue decidated to Argentina's football hero Lionel Messi.
The monument in Cutral Có, in Neuquén province, depicts a kneeling Messi in the Argentina kit with a raised fist and a replica of the 2022 World Cup trophy.
Designed by local artist Aldo Beroisa, the statue is 26 metres tall and weighs 70 tonnes.
The town, which has a population of 35,000, is organizing a public viewing event at the statue ahead of the defending champions' second group match against Austria in Dallas on Monday.
Messi is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest ever football players, and his hat-trick against Algeria took him joint top of the World Cup's all-time scorers' list alongside Germany's Miroslav Klose on 16 goals.
Now 38, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star played an instrument role in Argentina's trophy-winning campaign in Qatar, scoring twice in the final against France.
Cutral Co is an important centre for the oil and petrochemical industries in northern Patagonia and is reportedly hoping to attract tourists with the spectacular statue.
It is not the only gigantic monument to have been erected in Messi's honour.
It was recently reported that a 21-metre-high statue devoted to the legendary forward in Kolkata, India, has had to be dismantled again for safety reasons.
According to local media, the artwork - which was erected in honour of Messi's visit during his tour of India in December - had been swaying in the wind and had to be secured with ropes.
