Under Messi's 85-foot statue, Cutral Co erupts as Argentina reach World Cup final

Thousands of fans gathered beneath an 85-foot statue of Lionel Messi in Cutral Co, Argentina, on Wednesday night as the host nation came from 1-0 down to defeat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, booking their place in Sunday’s final against Spain.

The small Patagonian town of around 40,000 people, located in the southern province of Neuquen, had set up a screen next to the towering monument for the occasion. What began as a crowd of roughly 300 locals quickly swelled to several thousand as the final whistle blew, with orange and red fireworks exploding around the statue’s head.

“It was a victory of suffering,” said Lucas Romero, a 32-year-old local, standing beside his wife near the monument. Gesturing toward the statue, he added: “It’s a good recognition of all that Messi has done.”

The statue — a smiling Messi kneeling while pointing a finger skyward — was created by local artist Aldo Beroisa and inaugurated in June. The town declared it the tallest monument to Messi in the world.

The semi-final carried particular weight in Argentina given the historical rivalry with England, which encompasses the 1966 World Cup, the 1982 Falklands conflict — known in Argentina as the Islas Malvinas — and Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal in 1986. Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel captured the mood before kick-off, writing on X: “This isn’t just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct or cold-hearted; against the English, it’s always something more. It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s putting the brakes on the invaders.”

Scenes in Cutral Co were mirrored across the country. Buenos Aires, largely empty during the match itself, filled with flag-waving fans and the sound of car horns once the final whistle sounded. “I’m overcome with emotion,” said Mariano Gecik, a 49-year-old supporter in the capital.

The atmosphere around this tournament had initially been more subdued than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with many Argentines saying the stakes felt lower having already claimed that title. But sentiment shifted as the team advanced, repeatedly coming from behind or surviving close calls. Local newspapers even ran interviews with cardiologists warning fans about the signs of heart attacks amid the mounting public anxiety.

Victory on Sunday would make Argentina the first nation to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.