Estadio Azteca
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| Estadio Azteca | |
| "Coloso de Santa Ursula" | |
 |
|
| Facility statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Estadio Azteca |
| Location | Mexico, DF, Mexico |
| Opened | May 29th, 1966 |
| Renovated | 1986 |
| Demolished | N/A |
| Owner | Televisa |
| Operator | N/A |
| Construction cost | |
| Architect | Pedro Ramírez Vázquez Rafael Mijares Alcerra |
| Former names | |
| Guillermo Cañedo | |
| Tenants | |
| América Atlante |
|
| Capacity | |
| 114,600 | |
| Dimensions | |
| 105 x 68 m | |
Estadio Azteca is the universally known name for a football stadium in Mexico City. Designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and built in 1966 for football matches during the 1968 Summer Olympics, it is the largest football stadium in the world in terms of capacity, with 114,600 seats. It is alternatively known as Coloso de Santa Úrsula.
It is the home stadium of the Mexico national team and the Mexican clubs America and Atlante. It is the only stadium ever to host two World Cup final matches, in 1970 and 1986. It also hosted the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored both the Hand of God goal and the Goal of the Century, in memory of which a bronze plaque of his goal was placed outside the stadium. As if this wasn´t enough this stadium also hosted the Game of the Century, when Italy and Germany played in a fantastic match, at the end Italy won 4-3. In honour of this match there is a monument in front of the stadium.
Estadio Azteca has been host to a wide variety of competitions. Throughout the stadium's history, it has hosted the following international sporting events:
- 1968 Summer Olympics
- 1970 FIFA World Cup
- 1971 FIFA Women's World Cup
- 1975 Panamerican Games
- 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship
- 1986 FIFA World Cup
- 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
- American Bowl
The stadium has also hosted international club tournaments such at the Copa InterAmericana and the Copa Libertadores.
Estadio Azteca has also been used for musical performances throughout its history. Madonna (1993), Michael Jackson (1994), U2 (2006), Queen, Elton John, Robbie Williams (2005), Maná, Juan Gabriel, Gloria Estefan, Ana Gabriel, The Three Tenors all have become part of the stadium's mystique. But what perhaps is most remembered amongst the Mexican people is the visit from the late Pope John Paul II in 1999. The stadium has also been used for political events, such as Felipe Calderón's campaign closure in 2006.
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[edit] Access and Entrance
It is served by the Azteca station on the Xochimilco Light Rail line. This line is an extension of the Mexico City metro system which begins at Tasqueña metro station.
Due to its size and the closure of the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Azteca is currently the planet's biggest football stadium (though behind May Day Stadium) tickets are usually readily available, up to kick-off times, from the ticket office which is located at the front of the stadium, just down the exit ramps from the Azteca station. Tickets start from as little as 50 pesos. For bigger matches such as America's games against Guadalajara and UNAM Pumas where sellouts are common, numerous touts circulate offering tickets at competitive prices. For such games, be careful to check that your tickets are within the same section of the ground.
[edit] Naming
The stadium is owned by Mexican TV consortium Televisa. In order to avoid people associating the stadium's name with that of its competition TV Azteca, Televisa officially changed the stadium's name to "Guillermo Cañedo", a top executive and long-time football advocate at Televisa. The change took place in early 1997, following Cañedo's death (January 20th, 1997)[1]. However the change did not go well with the general population, who generally refused to refer to the stadium by its alleged new name. Following a cism where two of Cañedo's sons, who worked at Televisa, switched camps and went to TV Azteca,[2] Televisa quietly returned the stadium's name to its old version. Most people did not even notice, as they usually referred to the stadium as "Azteca" anyway.
| Preceded by: Wembley Stadium London |
FIFA World Cup Final Venue 1970 |
Succeeded by: Olympiastadion Munich |
| Preceded by: Santiago Bernabéu Madrid |
FIFA World Cup Final Venue 1986 |
Succeeded by: Stadio Olimpico Rome |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Satellite view of Estadio Azteca - at WikiMapia = Google maps + Wiki
- Official Site of the Estadio Azteca
[edit] Trivia
- At the time of its inauguration it was probably the most modern sports arena in the world. The opening game was between Club America and Torino F.C. on May 26, 1966, with seats for 107,494 spectators. The first goal was scored was by Brazilian Orlando Dos Santos Cruz and the second one by Brazilian José Alves "Zague", later the italians tied the game and ended 2-2. Gustavo Diaz Ordaz President of Mexico made the initial kick and Sir Stanley Rous FIFA President was the witness.
- A modern illumination system was inaugurated on June 5, 1966 with the first nightly game between Valencia C.F. and Necaxa. The first goal of the game was scored by Honduran José "La Coneja" Cardona. In this game Roberto "El Loco" Martinez o Caña Brava scored the first goal made by a Mexican. The final score was 3-1 in favor of Valencia C.F..
- There is Commemorative plaque with the name of the first goal scorer in the first daylight game and in the first nightly game.
[edit] References
- "Cañedo Whites go to TV Azteca"; César Martínez, "La Jornada", January 7, 1998.
- "Mexican businessman Guillermo Cañedo deceased as of yesterday"; "La Jornada", January 21, 1997.
