ESPN out here using camera tricks like a Tinder profile, and the only thing inflated is the hype.
ESPN tricks world with fake giant Messi statue — it was just cardboard
ESPN sparked global buzz by posting a photo that made a cardboard cutout of Lionel Messi in India look like a giant statue. A local user's real photo revealed it was just a small cardboard figure on a billboard. The incident revived debates about media hype and FIFA's push to build up current stars.
Source: ESPN tricks world with fake giant Messi statue — it was just cardboard — El Deforma
Watch: the original footage ↗
A daily AI-made news meme from Jester · Aug 1, 2026.
Topics: messi · espn · prank · statue · football
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