- Title: Moscow confectioners build life-size chocolate Messi for his birthday
- Date: 23rd June 2018
- Summary: SCULPTURE SEEN FROM BELOW (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALTUFEVO CONFECTIONARY BRAND CHEF, DARIA MALKINA, SAYING: "This idea was born because as everyone knows Russia is hosting the World Cup, and as a complete coincidence, we found out that the 24th of June was Lionel Messi's birthday. And we thought why not make this kind of gift for him, a sculpture of him entirely in chocolate? That's how the idea was born - just absolutely by chance as we found out it was his birthday." MESSI SCULPTURE'S FACE MALKINA GATHERING PHOTOGRAPHS THEN WALKING TO BRUSH MESSI SCULPTURE'S FACE MALKINA BRUSHING SCULPTURE'S FACE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALTUFEVO CONFECTIONARY BRAND CHEF, DARIA MALKINA, SAYING: "It's all handmade. Everything's done by hand. Smoothed, everything. Absolutely. The tattoos - pay attention to those also - those are decorated by my own hand, of course everything's not complete. But everything by hand." TATTOOS ON SCULPTURE'S ARM MALKINA WORKING ON SCULPTURE'S BEARD VARIOUS OF MALKINA WORKING VARIOUS OF SCULPTURE AS MALKINA WORKS ON IT NUMBER 10 ON SCULPTURE'S SHORTS VARIOUS OF MALKINA WORKING ON TATTOO
- Embargoed: 7th July 2018 19:25
- Keywords: Argentina midfielder Lionel Messi Altufevo Confectionary chocolate cake birthday
- Location: MOSCOW AND BRONNITSY, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW AND BRONNITSY, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Soccer,Sport,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA0038LJ2NUV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An eerily realistic sculpture of Argentine midfielder Lionel Messi made entirely from chocolate was on display in Moscow on Saturday (June 23).
Altufevo Confectioners brand chef Daria Makina carefully brushed Messi's beard and painted tattoos on the sculpture's arm, all with the goal of having the sculpture ready to mount a cake for a celebration near the Argentina World Cup training base on Sunday (June 24) - Messi's 31st birthday.
Malkina said the idea for the sculpture came by chance after the team found out Messi would spend his birthday in Russia during the tournament.
A team of five cake artists and sculptors worked for nearly a week to carve Messi in 60 kg (132 lbs) of chocolate which will be put on display at a concert in Bronnitsy, a town located some 50 kilometres from Moscow that is home to Argentina's base during the month-long tournament.
The custom bakery has been in operation for two decades, creating elaborate custom cakes for special occasions. Malkina said many people have ordered Messi-themed cakes before, but with a much smaller sculpture.
Playing at his fourth World Cup, Messi has been criticized for his tepid performance as Argentina face the shocking prospect of exiting the tournament early unless remaining Group D results go their way.
For more information on Altufevo Confection, see www.altufevo.ru. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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