Â鶹APP

Panoramic of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Football Club, in the city of Madrid, Spain. Taken from the south-west corner, during the stadium tour. Photo by Fernando Pascullo-

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Santiago Bernabeu stadium is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It has been home for Real Madrid since 1947. 

The stadium is named after  footballer and legendary Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu. It is one of the world’s most famous football venues.

Learn more about Santiago Bernabeu stadium in these top 10 fascinating facts.

1. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is Home to One of the Greatest Football Clubs

It is home to the stadium of Real Madrid, Spain, one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Being one of the world’s biggest clubs, it also deserves one of the biggest stadiums, and that’s Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid played wearing all-white outfits, and they are nicknamed Los Blancos. In the 2000s, the nickname changed to Los Galacticos due to many world-famous and expensive players joining the club.

Santiago Bernabeu is the second largest stadium in Spain and the third largest home to top-flight European clubs after Camp Nou and Westfalenstadion.

2. The Construction of the Club Started in 1944

View of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid (Spain) from the north-west angle. Photo by Luis García-Wikimedia Luis García-

After the former player of the club became president of the club in 1943, one of the things he did was build a new stadium and upgrade the previous training complex.

In June 1944, the Banco Mercantile e industrial bank gave Santiago Bernabeu and Rafael Salgado a loan to purchase the land adjacent to the old Chamartín Stadium.

In September 1944, architects Manuel Munoz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler were hired to begin the construction of the new stadium. They started the building in October 1944.

After three years, the stadium was completed in 1947, with an initial capacity of 75,145 spectators, of which 27,645 were seats and 47,500 standing spectators.

3. Real Madrid First Game in the Stadium Ended in Victory

The stadium was inaugurated on December 14, 1947, with a match between Real Madrid and the Portuguese side Os Belenenses. The then Real Madrid striker Sabino Barinaga scored the first goal in the 15th minute with a header.

The first official match occurred on December 28, 1947, on matchday 12 of La Liga against Atletico de Bilbao, which had been postponed due to the stadium’s inauguration.

Madrid midfielder Chus Alonso scored the first goal in the 4th minute after receiving a pass from Barinaga.

4. The Stadium was Renamed in 1955

When the stadium first opened, it replaced the old home of Real Madrid called Estadio Chamartín. Therefore, it was named Nuevo Estadio Chamartín.

Eight years after the stadium construction, the board of Real Madrid decided to change the name to honor president Santiago Bernabeu. 

Therefore, the name was changed from Nuevo Estadio Chamartín to Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

5. The Stadium First Major Renovation Occurred in 1955

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Carlos Delgado-

The stadium expanded to accommodate 125,000 spectators and became one of the biggest stadiums in Europe during this period.

The renovations continued and in 1957, floodlights were installed to allow nighttime games. In 1965 the transfer of the club’s offices to the stadium was completed.

During the stadium’s 25th anniversary of the Inauguration on December 14, 1972, the first electronic scoreboard was installed inside the stadium. It was used for the first time during a friendly match against the Portuguese Belenenses.

6. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Was Modernized for the FIFA World Cup in 1982

When the stadium was chosen to host the 1982 FIFA World Cup, the stadium had to adapt to changing times. FIFA wanted two-thirds of the seating area covered, and Real Madrid installed a roof covering the perimeter except for the east side.

The stadium capacity was reduced from 120,000 to 98,000 spectators, with 24,550 spectators covered by a new roof. 

The renovation also involved remodeling the façade, installing new electronic signs in the north and south ends, lockers rooms, ancillary areas and renovation of the press area.

The stadium hosted four matches in the World Cup, three second-round Group Two matches and the prestigious final match.

7. A New Ring Was Added in Early 1990

After a series of spectator fatalities, most notably Hillsborough and Heysel Dramas, UEFA demanded the stadium be upgraded to create separate shortcuts to different stadium sections and seats for all spectators.

The work led to the creation of a theater on the west side and the foundation and opening of a new commercial center. 20,200 upgraded seats were installed, with a tilt of 87 degrees, ensuring perfect view and proximity to the pitch.

In addition, four new towers were built in all four corners of the stadium and an extra ring was integrated. This doubled the height from 22 meters to 45 meters.

After the stadium adopted an all-seating arrangement, it brought the stadium’s capacity to 74,328 spectators.

8. The Current Capacity of the Stadium is 81,044

Photo by Ruben Ortega-

In the early 2000s, Florentino Perez became the president of Real Madrid and he launched a master plan for Real Madrid to remain the biggest club on the planet.

Florentino Perez’s master plan included a 127 million Euro Renovation between 2001 and 2006, transforming the stadium into a modern arena.

Some improvements included; a new audio system, new bars, new boxes and VIP areas, expansion to the east side of the stadium, and a new stage in honor of the east side. 

Due to the expansion of the stadium’s east side, the capacity also increased to the current capacity of 81,044.

9. Santiago Bernabeu is Currently Under New Renovation Project

The new renovation plan will cost 525 million Euros and turn the stadium into one of the best stadiums in the world. The renovations are expected to be completed in 2023.

After the renovation, the stadium will bring tourists to the stadium, add a shopping center, more restaurants and a hotel with some rooms having a view of the pitch.

10. The Stadium is Served by its Own Metro

Santiago Bernabeu stadium is located in the Chamartín district in Madrid. It occupies the block bounded by Paseo de la Castellana and the street of Concha Espina, Padre Damian and Rafael Salgado.

The stadium is served by its own metro station along line 10 called Santiago Bernabeu. It is also served by bus routes 14, 27, 40, 43, 120, 147 and 150.