Inaccurate sports statues have become something of a trend, with England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane being the latest player to join a long list of stars who’ve received, let’s say, inauthentic bronze doppelgangers.
Like the statues of Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Dwyane Wade, Kane’s sculpture, which was unveiled this past Monday in greater London’s Waltham Forest borough, where he was born and raised, has already received a wave of criticism pointing out its visual inaccuracies. “If you think about it historically, a public statue was there to immortalize, show off and loudly boast of the achievements and accomplishments of the person,” art critic Estelle Lovatt said in an interview. “If it doesn’t really bear a resemblance to the person, it’s quite difficult to relate to it.”
The footballer himself was ecstatic at the honor, recalling that it was a chance for him to “go back to where my life in football began and unveil a statue,” hoping that it “helps inspire the next generation to work hard and believe in themselves.”
“I just thought that the Roman emperors wouldn’t have put up with it, with this sort of standard,” Lovatt added, cheekily referencing some of the more recognizable historical monuments. Kane’s statue was initially supposed to be unveiled years ago at Chingford Station, but was shelved in storage after Transport for London (TfL) cited it would distract train drivers who would jam up traffic as they’d pose with the artwork. Instead, the sculpture was recently installed in Peter May Sports Centre, the same building Kane opened in 2016, which also houses facilities by his boyhood club, Ridgeway Rovers.
Seems right or another miss in the books? Where do you think the Kane sculpture ranks amongst the sports world’s statue hall of shame? Let us know in the comments.
