It is hosted by Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. real Madrid football team and the scene of some of the sport’s most iconic moments. Legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Raul Gonzalez and Emilio Butragueno are just some of the players who have built their legacies at the iconic stadium.

Have you ever wondered how the stadium got its name or the exact capacity it can hold? Below are ten facts about the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The stadium received its official name in 1955 after Santiago Bernabeu, a former player, coach and president. The Real Madrid legend played for the club between 1921 and 1926 and served as coach between 1926 and 1927. Bernabeu became president in 1943 and served for 34 years until his death at age 82.

Holding more than 82,000 people, Santiago Bernabeu is the third largest stadium in Europe after Camp Nou and Wembley Stadiums. Seating capacity is 84,744, but there is an average of 78,000 fans per game.

Real Madrid installed a hybrid grass surface in 2004 that combines natural grass with synthetic fibers. It helps keep the pitch in perfect condition; something that today’s fields have difficulty doing due to high usage.

Some of the world’s best football clubs use their stadiums as club museums. Real Madrid is one of them, with a trophy case that showcases all their achievements. The Bernabeu Tour has been visited by more than 15 million people since it opened in 1999.

If you go to the Santiago Bernabeu for a stadium tour, check out the Walk of Legends. This pathway runs around the stadium and contains statues and plaques of some of Los Blancos’ most outstanding players.

The stadium installed a retractable roof in February 2023, covering 9,000 square meters of main roof area and 8,000 square meters of interior roof area. The roof retracts in 15 minutes and can be closed to create a hostile atmosphere on big match nights.

The renovations, which included a retractable roof, new LED lighting system and upgraded accommodation areas, were completed in 2019 and are estimated to cost around $435 million.

Santiago Bernabeu was one of several stadiums selected to host matches of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. It hosted four matches, including the final between Italy and West Germany, which the Italians won 3-1.

Although its primary purpose is to host Real Madrid matches, the stadium has also hosted many big matches. music concerts. U2, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and Madonna have had sold-out concerts here.

Santiago Bernabeu has hosted four UEFA Champions League/European Cup finals; the first of these was Real Madrid’s victory over Fiorentina in 1957. The last final played at the stadium was between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich in 2010.

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