Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
Madrid, Community of Madrid · Real Madrid CF
The most rebuilt great stadium in Europe, and the model everyone else is now measured against.
The ground
Opened on 14 December 1947 to a design by Manuel Muñoz Monasterio, and named after the president who forced it through. Capacity has swung from 75,000 at opening to roughly 125,000 in the 1950s and back down as terracing gave way to seats. The recent rebuild added a retractable pitch, a full roof and a 360-degree screen, turning it into a year-round venue.
Things worth knowing
- The pitch retracts into six underground levels so the bowl can host concerts without damaging the grass.
- Held about 125,000 after the 1957–59 expansion, more than half again its current capacity.
- Hosted the 1964 European Nations Cup final, which Spain won 2–1 against the Soviet Union in front of Franco.
- The rebuild is costed at well over €1 billion, repaid against non-matchday revenue rather than ticket sales.
