Which football wax figures are at Wax of Legends Colmar? The museum features three life-size football wax figures: Kylian Mbappé (France), Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Neymar (Brazil). All three are reproduced at exact life-size with glass eyes and individually inserted hair. The sport section also includes tennis legends Rafael Nadal, Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova. (Source: waxoflegends-colmar.fr, 2026)
Wax of Legends Colmar is a wax museum located in the heart of Colmar's historic old town (Alsace, France), steps from the Saint-Martin Cathedral. It features 60 life-size wax figures of international icons — artists, athletes, actors, and historical figures — plus 15 interactive experiences included in the entrance ticket. All information was verified by the museum team in June 2026. (Source: waxoflegends-colmar.fr, June 2026)
Step into the sport section and there he is. Kylian Mbappé, in his striker's stance — the same one you see on posters, shirts and screens. Except here he's at your height, boots on, eyes fixed straight ahead. Every detail is there: the haircut, the expression, the stitching on the jersey. The figure is reproduced at his exact real-life size. This is not artistic interpretation. This is him, in wax, frozen in a moment of pure focus. And you're standing right in front of him.
That's exactly the effect it's designed to produce. And it's exactly what a poster or a miniature — however detailed — simply cannot give you.
Did you know? The Kylian Mbappé wax figure at Wax of Legends Colmar is reproduced at true life-size (exact height and build), with glass eyes and individually inserted hair strands. (Source: Wax of Legends Colmar, 2026)
Messi is a global icon. There are millions of shirts bearing his image, thousands of wax figures in his likeness, dozens of documentaries retracing his career. And yet, seeing him life-size — in the same room, at the same height — produces something none of that can replicate.
His figure at Wax of Legends is staged within the dedicated interactive penalty shootout space. He's not simply standing there as an object to look at. He's positioned and ready to set up your decisive pass. You're no longer a spectator of his legend — you step into the scene.
Families visiting with football-mad kids will find the perfect moment here: no need to explain who Messi is to a ten-year-old. The reaction says it all.
Neymar is the third star in the Brazilian-Argentine-French trio that makes up the football section at Wax of Legends. His figure is perhaps the one that generates the most selfies. The staging is polished, the lighting is considered, and the natural angle for a photo beside the statue is immediately obvious when you enter the space.
The selfie spots at Wax of Legends are designed from the ground up: figure height, distance to the backdrop, lighting. The result: photos that genuinely look convincing. Not the kind of blurry shot you keep out of obligation — the kind you actually post. Get your story ready in advance, because nobody walks out empty-handed.
The question comes up often in visitor reviews: why is it so striking when you know it's a statue? The answer is simple. A football wax figure, however detailed, is still something you look down at. A life-size statue changes the relationship entirely. You're no longer above it — you're at the same level. And the brain, despite itself, responds differently.
Wax museums like Wax of Legends and Madame Tussauds in London have built their reputation on precisely this effect: the deliberate blurring of presence and representation. That's not a trick. It's craftsmanship in service of experience. The difference with Madame Tussauds is that Wax of Legends is in Colmar — an Alsatian city of 70,000 tucked between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine, thirty minutes from Strasbourg. The element of surprise only makes it stronger.
Behind each figure at Wax of Legends lies hundreds of hours of work. Creating a life-size wax figure is unlike anything else in contemporary craft. After measurements and reference photography sessions, sculptors work on a 1:1-scale clay maquette before casting the wax. Glass eyes are custom-made for each figure — colour, shape, sheen. Hair is inserted strand by strand.
The result is a texture that even the most elaborate miniature — in high-definition resin — cannot replicate. Wax skin has a translucency that absorbs light differently from plastic. This is what visitors describe when they say "it looks like it might move" — not the illusion of resemblance, but the illusion of life. And that's what makes the trip worth it.
Football isn't the only sport represented. The sport section at Wax of Legends also includes the greatest tennis champions: Rafael Nadal, Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova, crafted with the same precision as the football figures. For visitors who aren't particularly into football, the route delivers a coherent experience — and a great opportunity for cross-generational selfies, because not everyone in the family has the same favourite champion.
Sport section at Wax of Legends Colmar: 6 life-size wax figures of legendary athletes — Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Neymar (football) and Rafael Nadal, Ivan Lendl, Martina Navratilova (tennis) — all included in the standard ticket price. (Source: Wax of Legends, 2026)
There's a difference between watching a penalty shootout and actually taking one. The second option is available here — with Mbappé or Messi right beside you to set up the decisive pass. You take position, you aim, you shoot. The space is calibrated to recreate the sensation of a real face-to-face: the distance, the angle, the life-size figures that make you the striker in the scene.
It's an experience that works at any age. Kids get the thrill of the game. Teens want the challenge and the video that goes with it — because obviously you film it. Adults discover an excitement they hadn't anticipated walking in. This isn't sport. It's better than sport — it's sport with Messi as your partner, and nobody blows the whistle.
You are the legend.
The penalty shootout at Wax of Legends isn't a video game terminal. There's no screen, no score displayed. What you take away is the memory of having been there, face to face, in that space. And possibly the photo or video someone in your group took of you.
Friend groups naturally gravitate toward it. Families too. It's the kind of activity where nobody stays a spectator for long — even those who said they weren't really football fans.
The experience is designed to be repeated. The first shot is always hesitant — you check the space, gauge the distance, look at the figure one last time. The second is different. You've understood that it's real, that the space is there for exactly this, and you go for it properly. The penalty shootout at Wax of Legends is one of the museum's fifteen interactive experiences, all included in the entrance ticket at no extra cost. From a poker game with Brad Pitt and George Clooney to walking the red carpet with Harrison Ford — the idea is always the same: take you out of the spectator role and put you in the scene.
Penalty shootout at Wax of Legends: An interactive experience where visitors face life-size wax figures of Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. Open to all ages, included in the standard entrance ticket with no extra charge. One of 15 interactive experiences at the museum. (Source: Wax of Legends, 2026)
Wax of Legends is located at 12 Place de la Cathédrale, Colmar — right in the historic centre, steps from the main square. Opening hours: open every day from 10am to 6pm (last entry at 5pm), including public holidays. Annual closure in January only. Visit duration: allow 1h to 1h30. Audio guide: included, 6 languages. Getting there: Colmar is connected to Paris by TGV (approx. 2h20), to Strasbourg by regional train (25–30 min), accessible by car from Basel in 45 minutes. 10-minute walk from Colmar train station.
Are there other sports represented beyond football at Wax of Legends? Yes. Beyond the three footballers (Mbappé, Messi, Neymar), the sport section includes three tennis legends: Rafael Nadal, Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova.
Can I take photos with the wax figures? Absolutely. Photos are not only allowed but actively encouraged — Wax of Legends has specially designed selfie spots with the most iconic figures, including the footballers.
How long does a visit to Wax of Legends last? Allow 1h to 1h30 for a complete visit with the interactive experiences. The penalty shootout, the karaoke with Mick Jagger and the other activities are all included in the ticket.
Is the visit suitable for children? Wax of Legends welcomes visitors of all ages. Children particularly enjoy the interactive experiences and recognising the figures.
At Wax of Legends, you don't look — you step in. You take a penalty against Messi, you come face to face with Mbappé, you get the photo you never thought you'd have. It's a stage — and you're in it.
Colmar is two hours from Paris, thirty minutes from Strasbourg. Wax of Legends is at the heart of its old town. And the football legends are waiting for you there, life-size, every day from 10am to 6pm.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 12 Place de la Cathédrale, 68000 Colmar |
| Opening hours | 10am–6pm, 7 days a week, including public holidays |
| Annual closure | January (after school holidays) |
| Recommended duration | 1h to 1h30 |
| Football figures | Mbappé, Messi, Neymar (life-size) |
| Tennis figures | Nadal, Lendl, Navratilova (life-size) |
| Interactive experiences | 15 included in the ticket |
| Audio guide | Included, 6 languages |
| Access | 10-minute walk from Colmar train station |
Information verified by the Wax of Legends team (June 2026).
Sources: Wax of Legends Colmar · Wax museum — Wikipedia
