Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Football is often regarded as the beautiful game, with many wonderful stories passed down through the generations of the most memorable matches, great players and unforgettable atmospheres. The sport will never lose its magic or the ability to leave fans feeling every minute of tension and excitement as they get behind their favourite team, but every game needs a theatre in which the drama can unfold on the pitch. This is where stadiums play a prominent role in not only providing teams with the opportunity to put on a show for fans that create a wonderful atmosphere from the first whistle until the last, but also existing as a part of a club's identity.
Every intricate detail, both internally and externally, comes together in the most iconic stadiums to create a special aura for fans walking towards it and sitting down in their seat to create a euphoric atmosphere which can often be more poignant than the game itself. Bookmaker Ratings provide betting tips for those who want to add an extra element of spice to watching a football game from the stands, and while certain stadiums are held in high regard due to the sheer volume of fans who get behind their team and create a red-hot atmosphere for visiting teams to experience, others come together in terms of overall size, stature and quality to be considered as one of the most iconic stadiums in Europe.
Any list that features the best football stadiums around would be debunked if it did not include the home of Barcelona. The Nou Camp stands proud as the largest stadium in Europe, with a capacity of 98,757 helping to create a euphoric atmosphere as fans from all over the world flock to watch one of the finest teams strut their stuff. Their infamous tiki-taka style of play, along with Barcelona's long standing “mes que un club†(more than a club) ethos, runs directly through the heart of the Nou Camp which is an iconic part of everything the club stands for. It is easy to see why their five-tier, oval-shaped amphitheatre is an imposing sight for any opposition; the sheer size of the Nou Camp can be overpowering, but its majestic beauty is accompanied by watching world class players such as Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta grace the hallowed turf.
The stadium capacity was over 120,000 for the 1982 World Cup until a change in law regarding standing forced Barcelona to reduce the Nou Camp, but while there are plans for the club to transform the stadium and raise the capacity to 105,000 within the next few years, Barcelona's iconic ground stands proud as one of the most prestigious in Europe.
While Real Madrid cannot match the Nou Camp in terms of capacity (85,454), the Santiago Bernabau is equally prestigious and high in quality. It is a fitting home for the most successful club in European football, with Los Blancos holding the record for La Liga titles (thirty-three) and Champions League trophies (eleven). The latter could be set to become twelve, as Zinedine Zidane's men are set to face fellow European giants Juventus in the Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on June 3rd. It promises to be an intriguing clash between two teams packed with quality in all areas, and while fans may wish to read the Vbet review on Bookmaker Ratings before backing either side to prevail, bringing silverware back to the Santiago Bernabau would further enhance its profile as one of the best venues in football.
Opened in 1947, the stadium has undergone two renovations in order to match the club's profile and attract future 'Galacticos' to Real Madrid, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo amongst those who have written their name in club folklore. Given that other football greats, such as Zinedine Zidane, Ferenc Puskas and Ronaldo have graced the hallowed turf at the Santiago Bernabau, it is easy to see why there is always an electric atmosphere during every home game as fans are left on the edge of their seats by the best players in the world.
While some would argue that the old stadium was more iconic and created a greater match day atmosphere, there can be no question that Wembley is one of the most famous football stadiums around. The new stadium, built on the site of the previous ground which opened back in 1923, provides a capacity of 90,000 and is often used for England internationals, domestic cup finals and play-off finals. It may have replaced the infamous Twin Towers which greeted fans as they walked up Wembley Way with the Wembley Arch, but the stadium that has existed since 2007 continues to hold its proud name as "The Home of Football" due to the electric atmosphere that is generated during every game.
Fans have long remained the heart and soul of any football club, and while it requires teams and individual players to produce moments of brilliance that get fans on their feet, Borussia Dortmund supporters continue to create a wonderful atmosphere in the Signal-Iduna Park that make every match day a memorable occasion. The largest stadium in Germany (80,645 capacity) was built in 1974, and while the yellow and black infrastructure define the club's colours over the years, the team's impressive form in recent years has seen their profile rise considerably.
Back-to-back Bundesliga titles, along with reaching the Champions League Final in 2013, epitomise the remarkable progress that Borussia Dortmund have made, and while the likes of Marco Reus, Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are players that always excite fans, Die Gelbe Wand (The Yellow Wall) need no extra motivation to get behind their team for the full ninety minutes. The South stand is not only Europe's largest free-standing grandstand, but is also home to 24,454 fans that attend every game and provide wonderful support through superb visual displays and chants. It is they who make the Signal-Iduna Park one of the most desired stadiums to visit for football enthusiasts, as The Yellow Wall has become an iconic part of Borussia Dortmund.
Stadiums which place fans close to the pitch often help to create a euphoric atmosphere, and while Bayern Munich fans believed that the Olympiastadion was not ideal for football matches due to the running track around the pitch that created a sizeable gap between themselves and the pitch, the Allianz Arena has certainly corrected that. Opened in 2005, Bayern Munich's new stadium reflects the modernised approach to architecture, with the Allianz Arena being the first ground in the world to come with a full colour changing exterior. It enhances the picturesque qualities of a stadium that is fitting as the home of one of the biggest clubs in European football; Bayern Munich share the Allianz Arena with 1860 Munich, with the external panels set on red when the former are playing and changed to blue when the latter play their home games.
Taking my son to his first football match was one of the best experiences I've had as a father so far. I've written this article for Alex to read when he gets older.
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My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando