Malappuram (Keralam) [India], May 23 (ANI): With just 22 days left for the FIFA World Cup football tournament to kick off, Malappuram Municipality has taken the first kick in style.

A giant sculpture featuring a football and a booted leg performing a bicycle kick, made entirely from discarded plastic bottles, has been installed on the divider at Kunnummal, once again showcasing Malappuram's deep passion for football to the world.

Municipal Chairperson V.T. Rinisha said the initiative aims not only to welcome the World Cup but also to spread awareness against plastic waste. She added that the municipality is also considering setting up large-scale facilities, including a fan park, as part of the World Cup celebrations in the town.

Football lovers in Malappuram have welcomed the creative installation with great excitement. More than 6,000 unused plastic bottles weighing around 80 kilograms, collected by the Haritha Karma Sena from 40 wards of the municipality, were used for the construction. About 73 kilograms of iron rods were also used, and the work was completed within nine days for Rs 43,000.

It took nearly an hour using an earthmover to install the massive football sculpture in the town. The artwork, carrying the message of a 'Clean City,' was created under the supervision of the Swachh Bharat Mission of the municipality as part of the World Cup celebrations.

A giant football structure installed between 2015 and 2020 also stands nearby as a symbol of Malappuram's football culture.

Vice Chairperson Jithesh G. Anil, Standing Committee Chairpersons Harris Amiyan, Pari Majeed, Mariyumma Shareef, and Nanath Sameera Mustafa, among others, attended the event. (ANI)