Lionel Messi statue destroyed by vandals in Argentina for the second time in a year… as legs are viciously cut off
Posted Tuesday, December 05, 2017 by Thesun.co.uk
VANDALS have destroyed a statue of Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.
The perpetrators cut off the footballer's legs in an attack on Sunday, leaving just the tops of his ankles and a football attached to his magic left foot on the base.
The vandalised sculpture of Argentinian football player Lionel Messi is pictured at the "walk of fame" in Buenos Aires
It is located on the banks of the La Plata River in the Argentinian capital, and forms part of a "Glory Walkway" honouring other Argentinian stars like Diego Maradona.
Other statues in the same area have been vandalised in the past, with one to tennis star Gabriela Sabatini being stolen.
In January last year a Cristiano Ronaldo statue unveiled in December 2014 in the Madeiran capital Funchal was vandalised around the same time Messi pipped the Real Madrid striker to claim a historic fifth Ballon d'Or.
The perpetrators painted Messi's name and a No10 on the statue, famed for being generous to the footballer with a large bulge in the shorts department.
Ronaldo's sister Katia Aveiro took to Facebook to say she was "ashamed" at what had happened and called those responsible "savages."
Letting her anger show in a long-winded attack in which she described her brother as a "marvellous person" and a "fighter".
She said: "I find the act in itself a dishonour but what I find more shameful is the envy that surrounds him and the rage that some unloved and frustrated fatheads display in public in a disgraceful way which leaves me as a Portuguese person ashamed and sad.
"The people that are responsible for this and other negative things directed towards this person should know that our island was recently voted the world's leading island destination.
"Not just for the beautiful sea that surrounds us or for our marvellous gastronomy or even the warm Madeiran welcome.
"It was in part thanks to this great Madeiran figure that honours his origins."
Dubbing the vandals "frustrated savages" she said they deserved to be sent to Syria in an attack in which she appeared at times to be overwhelmed by her own anger.
She added: "Sadly my beautiful island is still inhabited by some frustrated savages who should live in Syria amidst people who don't respect each other and who don't know how to live together.
"Please forgive me those who are suffering because of war but I think people are badly distributed.
"There are still envious people on this planet who can't accept the success of others, mediocre people who don't do our world any good."
The statue was later moved to a new spot on the Cristiano's home island - the entrance hall of the footballer's museum in Funchal.
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