Ranked: the seven most bizarre football statues ever seen, featuring icons like Messi, Ronaldo, and even Michael Jackson.
Two of football’s greatest legends, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have been commemorated with sculptures that are widely regarded as some of the worst to grace the sport. In the rush to immortalize football’s elite and beloved club figures, a few statues ended up far from flattering—and some are downright jarring.
We’ve arranged seven of the ugliest football statues in history, each one more startling than the last. You might need a moment to recover your eyes after this tour.
- Lionel Messi (Kolkata)
This newly revealed statue of Messi in India isn’t the worst likeness on the list, though a quick glance might hint at Cristiano Ronaldo. The real standout (in a bad way) is the sheer 70-foot scale. Indians adore football more than many outsiders expect, but the national team struggles while resources are spent on monuments that miss the mark.
This Messi statue in Kolkata, India
- Alan Shearer (Newcastle)
Shearer was famous for his rugged, no-nonsense goal celebrations and reliable scoring. So why does the sculptor give his right hand a flourish that looks off? It’s a reminder that even legends can be misinterpreted in bronze when there are plenty of goal-scoring moments to reference.
Alan Shearer, outside St. James’ Park. That celebration doesn’t look right, does it?
Mohamed Salah (Sharm El-Sheikh)
There’s a running joke about Salah’s statue in Sharm El-Sheikh, suggesting a lack of coordination or a rushed job during unveiling. The piece has sparked comparisons and memes, underscoring how a statue can overshadow a player’s real achievements if the execution falls flat.
A Mohamed Salah statue unveiled at the World Youth Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh. No words needed.
Michael Essien (Kumasi)
Rumors persist that this Essien statue might be based on a low-resolution image from a classic football video game rather than a true likeness. The result is so far from recognizable that it makes even some better-known sculptures look almost artful by comparison.
- Ted Bates (Southampton)
Bates served Southampton in multiple roles—player, manager, director, and president—earning the nickname “Mr. Southampton.” The 2007 statue captured a likeness that rememberers quickly joked resembled Milan Mandaric, the former chairman of rival Portsmouth. A quick replacement arrived the following year.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Aeroporto da Madeira)
Ronaldo’s status as a global icon is undeniable, but the Madeira airport statue he inspired is infamous in football circles. The bust sparked social-media mockery and comparisons to other famous faces, prompting the artist to defend the work by insisting it’s a matter of taste and perspective.
On this day in 2017 a statue of Cristiano Ronaldo was unveiled at Madeira’s airport.
- Michael Jackson (Fulham)
Mohamed Al-Fayed commissioned a 7.5-foot statue of Michael Jackson in 2011, placed outside Craven Cottage for two years before being moved by the club’s new owners. Jackson and Al-Fayed were close friends, and there were even plans to display the sculpture near Harrods, which Al-Fayed once owned. After the sale of the department store, Fulham inherited the peculiar asset—an artwork so memorable for its oddity that it’s often described as “so bad it’s almost good.”
If you’re curious for more fun reads, you can explore related lists about unusual football hobbies and quirky transfer trivia, which often reveal how the game’s culture is just as colorful off the pitch as on it.
