Football has been with us since the 1800s, but the game’s only full century is the twentieth century. This is when the game’s popularity throughout the world took a firm hold. As the years pass, it looks more and more like a mysterious and magical age.
It was where some of the most creative players the game has ever known had to navigate a far more brutal game than now. They did so in different kinds of stadiums. Grounds that, in their time, were cutting edge and iconic for their own reasons.
Some are still here and some are not. All conjure up special memories of football history. Having a limited number of such stadiums in a list is sure to be a bone of contention among football fans, so listed here are the 10 best stadiums of the twentieth century.
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10 Estadio Monumental
River Plate, Buenos Aires, Argentina
River Plate
South America has many special grounds. Argentina can certainly lay claim to that. Boca Juniors fans may feel angered that River Plate’s stadium, and not theirs, has been selected in this list. La Bombonera is without doubt considered one of the most unique stadiums in football history. Yet it is River Plate’s Estadio Monumental that makes the grade here.
There’s a gladiatorial feel about the uncovered coliseum-like bowl of the stadium. It gives you the sense there is absolutely nowhere to hide for players who might be feeling any nerves. It was the venue for the 1978 World Cup final, in which Argentina overcame the Netherlands 3-1 after extra-time amidst an enormous amount of ticker-tape.
9 Highbury
Arsenal, London, England
Highbury
Highbury was Arsenal’s home for 93 years between 1913 and 2006. Designed by the famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, Highbury was a quintessential British ground. Constructed within reach of densely populated residential areas, the ground was right on top of the pitch.
It was also one of the smaller pitches in the top division of English football. This intimate setting was not all Highbury was known for. The East Stand housed the club headquarters and was flanked by marble floors. The ground went through a great deal of renovation over the years. What remained, though, was the clock from the famous clock end. A historic football ground.
8 Ibrox
Rangers, Glasgow, Scotland
Ibrox
Ibrox was another stadium designed by the famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch. Unlike the modern bowl-like stadiums, Ibrox features four separate stands. It is often cited for having the best atmosphere in any stadium in Britain. In 1939, Ibrox had 118,567 in to watch Rangers play Celtic. This remains a British record for a league game. Rangers won 2-1 that day.
The ground is steeped in history. Opened in 1899, Ibrox spans three separate centuries. Even outside the ground it has an iconic look, with the red-bricked walls of the main stand giving Ibrox something of a regal feel to it.
7 The Bernabeu
Real Madrid, Spain
Bernabeu
In recent years, the Bernabeu has had a significant facelift. Yet it has long been an iconic stadium. Real Madrid was the first global powerhouse of the game. Their feat of winning five consecutive European Cups has not been matched. The club have had some fantastic players throughout its history.
Named after former club president Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium was not opened until 1947. So, during Madrid’s all conquering reign of five European Cups in a row between 1956 and 1960, the stadium was practically new. In the twenty-first century the club can consider one of, if not the, biggest clubs in the world.
6 Wembley Stadium
London, England
Wembley
Wembley Stadium is often considered one of the best stadiums in football history. Prior to being reopened in 2007, after being completely rebuilt, Wembley was a different beast. The old ground was seen as the home of football and featured the iconic twin towers.
The ground was most famously used for the FA Cup Final each year. It featured the often mentioned 39 steps to reach the Royal Box, where trophies were presented. This was, of course, where Bobby Moore held aloft the Jules Rimet trophy after England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time to be crowned world champions in 1966.
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5 Pontiac Silverdome
Michigan, USA
Pontiac Silverdome
Credit: Allsport/ALLSPORT
Constructed in the mid 1970s, the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan also had a fabric fibre glass roof which was held up by air pressure. It was way ahead of its time and still looked futuristic when USA played in it during the 1994 World Cup. Sadly, due to maintenance costs, it was closed in the 2000s and then demolished in 2018.
Michigan is an unforgivingly cold place in the wintertime. With the high-tech stadium roof continually exposed to the cold, it was perhaps never built to last. But it was an incredible stadium and the venue when Eric Wynalda scored a stunning free-kick for the USA in World Cup ’94.
4 Maracana
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Maracana
The Maracana is synonymous with Brazilian football. Although it had an ominous start. It was opened for the 1950 World Cup, which was hosted by Brazil. They lost the deciding game, which was effectively the final, 2-1 to Uruguay. The stadium is instantly recognisable from its huge circular bowl.
Pele, one of Brazil’s all-time greats, is believed to have scored his one thousandth goal in the Maracana in 1969. Come 1989, the great Romario scored Brazil’s winner there in the Copa America final against Uruguay. Incredibly, up until then, Brazil had not won the competition for 40 years, way back in 1949.
3 Olympiastadion
Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich, Germany
Olympic Stadium Munich
The Olympiastadion is one of the most unique stadiums in football history. It was built for the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, but quickly became known as the home of Bayern Munich. Featuring a mesh metallic-looking canopy, the stadium was far ahead of its time when it opened. The designers wanted to make it look something like the Alps, and they certainly achieved that.
The stadium was also the venue for one of German football’s greatest moments. This is when Franz Beckenbauer, one of the best defenders in football history, lifted the World Cup. That was the 1974 World Cup final, in which West Germany beat the Netherlands.
2 Estadio Azteca
Mexico City, Mexico
Azteca Stadium
The Estadio Azteca looms large in football folklore for being the backdrop of two huge moments in the World Cup. The teams who featured wore some of the most iconic kits in football history. Firstly, in 1970, it was the venue for Pele and co going on to win the World Cup final 4-1 against Italy. Then, 16 years later, in 1986, it was the stage for Diego Maradona to inspire Argentina to become world champions.
It was where Maradona scored the hand of God and what has been called the goal of the century. The latter of these two tournaments featured very recognisable goals with netting that was pegged back a good few metres behind the goal line.
1 San Siro
Milan, Italy
san-siro
San Siro is named after the district in Milan it is located in. Unlike Rome’s Olympic Stadium, San Siro has no running track and is built exclusively for football. Home to both AC Milan and Internazionale, San Siro is a stadium that is considered to have one of the best atmospheres in Europe.
Flanked by four turrets, its design in 1925 was inspired by English stadiums. Over the years, the ground has often had a mist hanging over it during an evening game. This only adds to the atmosphere. Arguably, Milan were never better than between 1989 and 1990 when they won back-to-back European Cups.
Although incredibly controversial, it is probably AC Milan, and not Inter, that most football fans would believe have the edge in terms of footballing prestige. Although both clubs have played for many years at the incredible stadium that is San Siro.
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