An Adidas billboard depicting a snarling Luis Suarez has proved unintentionally popular with tourists – who have been queuing to pose with various body parts snared in the jaws of the Uruguay striker – prompting the company to remove the ad.

Situated on Copacabana beach, the poster of Suarez with teeth bared was supposed to be an eye-catching piece of branding amid the plethora of World Cup sponsors’ hoardings in Brazil.

However, after the Liverpool star was sent home from the World Cup for appearing to chomp on Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder, the poster took on a different meaning and quickly became a must-visit attraction for the thousands of football fans who have flown to Brazil, including pundit Chris Kamara.

Perhaps wary of the unwanted attention, Adidas has subsequently replaced the hoarding with a more innocuous picture of Spain’s Dani Alves.

Regarding its sponsorship of Luis Suarez, Adidas released a statement which read:“Adidas certainly does not condone Luis Suarez’s recent behaviour and we will again be reminding him of the high standards we expect from our players.

“We have no plan to use Suarez for any additional marketing activities during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.”

The poster is not the first public artwork to take on a life of its own. A recent Banksy graffiti in Bristol, UK, quickly drew snap-happy visitors and was turned into a pop-up attraction by a local social club. Meanwhile in Singapore, a new attraction is hoping to cash in on our love of smartphone selfies by offering a mind-bending array of unusual illusions for visitors to pose with.