Lionel Messi's statue vandalised again, sculpture chopped off at ankles

Vandals knocked over a statue of Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi in Buenos Aires for the second time this year. Photos posted on social media showed the sculpture lying on its side on the pavement, having been chopped off at its ankles, Xinhua news agency reported. Police said they had no information about the identity of the perpetrators.

In January, the monument was cut in half from the waist up before being repaired and re-erected by the city government days later. The statue is located on a riverside promenade known as the Walkway of Glory in the Buenos Aires port district of Puerto Madero.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go