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YoutTube/Telekom HU/via Sportal Blikk

Dominik Szoboszlai became the unwitting star of an elaborate April Fool’s Day prank orchestrated by Magyar Telekom, Hungary’s leading telecommunications provider, sparking viral reactions and considerable debate across the country.

Szoboszlai attended what he believed was a low-key event to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his partnership with Telekom.



Instead, he was greeted with a life-sized statue constructed entirely from 1,200 discarded mobile phones—a stunt designed to promote the company’s electronic waste recycling initiative.

The artwork depicted the Hungarian captain mid-action, though its facial features bore little resemblance to the footballer – and it’s fair to say the Liverpool man was not impressed with it at first:

YouTube/Telekom HU

Footage from Telekom’s YouTube channel captured Szoboszlai’s candid reaction.

After staring at the statue, he quipped, “This looks nothing like me… like a s*** inside-out!”

“If you could build the body, why not the face!?” the 24-year-old was also heard saying.

The prank served a dual purpose: highlighting e-waste recycling and celebrating Szoboszlai’s role as a national icon. Zoltán Sipos, Telekom’s Chief Commercial Officer, explained: “The statue’s message is bigger than art: recycle old devices, don’t let them gather dust.”

The campaign encourages Hungarians to exchange unused phones for discounts on new devices, aligning with Telekom’s year-long partnership with Szoboszlai to inspire perseverance through digital innovation.

YouTube/Telekom HU

A statement from Telekom HU fully explained their audacious stunt:

“Dominik joined Telekom just a year ago.

To celebrate the anniversary of the cooperation, the company organized a small celebration for him, for which he also prepared a grandiose surprise: it surprised the star footballer with a lifelike statue in the shape of Dominik Szoboszlai, built from used mobile phones.

“The statue serves a good purpose, it draws attention to the importance of recycling and the return of unused mobile phones lying in the depths of drawers to the cycle.