Stadiums Named After Footballers Puskás Aréna
Located in Budapest, Hungary. The stadium opened in 2019, and is named after Hungary’s goal scoring
machine Ferenc Puskás, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
The stadium is used by the Hungary national team, of which Puskas is
the all-time leading goalscorer for the country with 84 goals in 85 appearances.
At capacity it holds 67,215 and the opening match, a friendly between
Hungary and Uruguay on the 15 November 2019, is also the record attendance for the stadium
at 65,114, a game that Uruguay won 2-1.
The stadium was built on the site of the old Ferenc Puskás Stadium which was built in 1953.
The stadium held the 2020 Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla, and will host the upcoming
2023 UEFA Europa League Final on 31 May 2023. Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Located in Milan, Italy, and known worldwide as the San Siro, this stadium is one of
the world’s best and is shared by both Italian giants AC Milan and Inter Milan.
In 1980, it was named after Giuesppe Meazza, one of the most famous footballers out of Milan,
and he served as an Inter player for 14 years, and had a short playing stint at AC Milan.
He also had three stints as Inter manager. The stadium opened on 19 September 1926,
and has been renovated numerous times throughout the years. Capacity sits at 80,018.
In recent years, there has been talk of demolishing the stadium, and on 26 September 2019,
both clubs released plans for a new stadium to be built next to the San Siro. There were no
objections by the Italian heritage authority and it looks as though the San Siro will be
demolished to make way for the new stadium, but it remains to be seen when this will take place.
It will be sad to see the San Siro go, but all those magical moments that took place at the
historic stadium are not lost. Estadio Diego Armando Maradona
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the stadium was named after Argentina’s most
famous player in 2004, and is home to his former club Argentinos Juniors, where Maradona made his
professional debut. He went on to play 166 games for the club, scoring a remarkable 116 goals.
The stadium was refurbished in 2003 after being rebuilt on demolished grounds from the previous
stadium that stood between 1940-1995. At capacity it holds 26,000, and it was reopened on the 26th
December 2003 to a crowd of 30,000 people that filled the stands to witness a match
between a team consisting of former players from Argentinos Juniors' victorious 1985 Copa
Libertadores squad and the team that earned promotion to the Primera División in 1997.
Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Opened in 1959, the formerly known Stadio San Paolo was renamed on 4 December 2020
after the death of former Napoli and Argentine great Diego Maradona.
Maradona spent the bulk of his career at Napoli, from 1984-1991, and led the club to their first
ever Serie A title in 1986-87. He won another Serie A title in 1989–90, led the club to their
only European trophy in 1989 winning the UEFA Cup and also won Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.
He truly was Napoli’s savour, and will forever be adored by the Naples faithful.
The stadium has a capacity of 54,726. It also hosted five matches for the 1990 FIFA World Cup,
including a semi-final match between Italy and Argentina,
in which Maradona would go on to score the final penalty for Argentina to send them through.
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Located in Madrid, Spain. The
Santiago Bernabéu is home to Real Madrid, and is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.
The stadium is named after one of Real Madrid’s most important figures: Santiago Bernabéu.
Before transforming the club as president, he had a long and much less well known period as
a Real Madrid player. He played 80 games for the club scoring impressive 70 goals.
After retiring as a player, he restructured the club after the Spanish Civil War, and became
president of the club in 1943, up until his death on 2 June 1978. During this time, he oversaw the
construction of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Under Bernabeu's leadership, Real Madrid became
one of the most successful clubs in the world, winning numerous domestic and international
titles, including six European Cups. His legacy continues to inspire the Real
Madrid fans and the football world at large with his influence in the game from top to bottom.
The stadium has also held important club and international matches,
including the final of the 1964 European Nations’ Cup and 1982 FIFA World Cup.
At capacity it holds 81,044, and has recorded an attendance of 129,690 as Real Madrid took
on AC Milan on 19 April 1956. The stadium is currently undergoing
renovations. The name of the stadium is expected to stay the same.
Johan Cruijff ArenA
Located in Dutch capital Amsterdam, the stadium is home to Ajax. It was built in 1996, and is
formerly known as the Amsterdam ArenA. It was renamed at the start of the 2018-19 season after
the death of former Ajax great Johan Cruijff in 2016, with the new stadium logo revealed
on 25 April 2018, Johan Cruijff’s birthday. Johan Cruyff played an instrumental role in the
success of Ajax during the 1960s and 1970s. He was a home-grown talent who joined the club's youth
system at the age of 10 and went on to become one of the greatest players in the club's history.
Cruyff led Ajax to three consecutive European Cup triumphs from 1971 to 1973, and during
his time at the club, Ajax won numerous domestic titles as well. He was a key player in the team's
philosophy, which emphasized fluid attacking play and positional interchangeability.
In addition to his on-field contributions, Cruyff also helped modernize the club's infrastructure
and training methods. He introduced new training techniques, such as video analysis
and weight training, and encouraged the club to invest in youth development.
After retiring as a player, Cruyff returned to Ajax as a coach in the 1980s
and led the club to its first European trophy in over a decade in 1987.
His identity and philosophy will always be a part of Ajax.
The stadium itself holds 55,865 people at capacity, and played a part in Euro 2000,
hosting five games, as well as Euro 2020 where it held four matches.
Estadi Johan Cruyff The Johan Cruyff Stadium
is located in Barcelona, Spain, and is the home ground of FC Barcelona B and the women's team.
The stadium was inaugurated in August 2019 and has a seating capacity of 6,000 spectators.
It is named after Johan Cruyff, the legendary Dutch footballer and former FC Barcelona
player and coach. Cruyff played a key role in the development of Barcelona's footballing philosophy,
and the stadium serves as a tribute to his contributions to the club.
The stadium is known for its state-of-the-art facilities, and also features a museum dedicated
to the life and career of Johan Cruyff. Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha
Located in Brasília, Brazil. The stadium is named after Brazilian legend Garrincha,
who played a significant role in Brazil’s success during the 50s and 60s.
He was named player of the tournament in the 1958 World Cup, which Brazil went on to win.
He also played an important role in Brazil’s 1962 World Cup winning team.
The stadium itself was built in 1974, with a capacity of 45,200, until major renovations
in 2013 in preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup which increased the capacity to 72,788.
The stadium has since hosted major sporting events, including matches for
the 2021 Copa America, and has become an important landmark in Brasília.
Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes Located in Córdoba, Argentina. It
was originally built in 1978 for the FIFA World Cup held in Argentina that year and was known as
Estadio Córdoba. In 2010, the stadium was renamed in honor of Córdoba native Mario Alberto Kempes,
a former Argentine footballer who played a crucial role in Argentina's 1978 World Cup win,
also finishing top goal scorer of the tournament. The stadium has a seating capacity of 57,000
spectators and is the home ground of Club Atlético Talleres and also used
for important games that attract big crowds for Belgrano's, Instituto's and Racing's matches.
Fritz-Walter-Stadion Located in Kaiserslautern,
Germany. It was built in 1920 and has a seating capacity of 49,780 spectators.
The stadium is named after Fritz Walter, a legendary German footballer who played for
FC Kaiserslautern and the German national team. Walter was a key player in Germany's 1954 World
Cup winning team and is regarded as one of the greatest footballers in German history.
The stadium is home to FC Kaiserslautern, a club who Walter played 364 games for,
scoring an incredible 348 goals in the process.
The stadium was built on the Betzenberg hill, hence its nickname "Betze".
It has hosted numerous important international and domestic football matches, including matches
during the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. The stadium is also used for other events,
such as music concerts and cultural festivals, and is an important landmark in Kaiserslautern.
Ernst-Happel-Stadion Located in Vienna, Austria. It was built in
1931 and has a capacity of 50,865 spectators. Originally known as Pratorstadion, it was renamed
in 1992 after Ernst Happel, a legendary Austrian footballer and coach. He played 51 games for
Austrian national team between 1947–1958. He spent majority of its playing carrer at
Rapid Wien and is regarded as one of the greatest footballers and coaches in Austrain history.
The stadium is the home fo Austrian national football team. It hosted many European finals as
well as seven games for the UEFA Euro 2008. Stadion Georgi Asparuhov
Built in 1960, the stadium is located in Sofia, Bulgaria and has a capacity of
25,000. It is home to PFC Levski Sofia, one of the biggest clubs in Bulgaria.
The stadium was renamed from Levski Stadium in 1990 after Georgi Asparuhov,
a legendary Bulgarian footballer who played for the Bulgarian national team and Levski Sofia.
Asparuhov was known for his skill and scoring ability and is regarded as one of
the greatest Bulgarian footballers of all time. Asparuhov played over 200 times for Levski Sofia
over two spells at the club, scoring a remarkable 125 goals and was in his prime when he lost his
life in a car crash at the age of 28 on 30 June 1971. The current official name of the stadium is
Vivacom Arena – Georgi Asparuhov. Stade Raymond Kopa
Located in Angers, France. The stadium was built in 1912, and is home to Angers SCO,
with a capacity of 18,752. It has had a few previous names before,
and was renamed to the Stade Raymond Kopa in 2017 after the death of Raymond Kopa.
Kopa, a legendary French footballer who made his professional debut with the Angers,
going on to make 60 appearances for the club, before moving to Reims and Real Madrid. He made
45 appearance for French national team scoring 18 goals. Kopa was named the European Footballer
of the Year in 1958. He is regarded as one of the greatest French footballers of all time.
Ali Daei Stadium Located in Ardabil,
Iran. It was built from 1992-2000, and it opened on 23 May 2008. It has a capacity of 20,000.
It is named after Ali Daei, a legendary Iranian footballer who is the 2nd on the
all-time top scorer list in international football with 109 goals. Daei played 148
times for the Iranian national team and several clubs in Iran and abroad during his career.
The stadium is part of the larger sports complex and is the home to Shahrdari
Ardabil Football Club. Estádio Rei Pelé
Located in Maceio, Brazil. It was built in 1970 and has a seating capacity of 17,000
spectators. The stadium is named after
the Brazilian legend Pelé, who is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
The name of the stadium means King Pelé.
Pelé won three World Cup titles with the Brazilian national team and played for Santos, scoring 643
goals in 659 games. He also played for New York Cosmos with 107 appearances and 66 goals.
The stadium is home to Clube de Regatas Brasil and Centro Sportivo Alagoano. The stadium is an
important landmark in Maceio and a significant venue for Brazilian sports and culture.
There is a museum inside the stadium, called Museu de Esportes Edvaldo Santa Rosa, named
after an Alagoan footballer Edvaldo Alves de Santa Rosa nicknamed Dida, who played for Flamengo.
Comment below, which stadium named after a footballer is your favorite?