Some Facts about the San Siro Stadium

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza which is widely known as San Siro is a football stadium in the San Siro District of Milan, Italy. It is home to two renowned Italian soccer clubs A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. San Siro has a seating capacity of 80,018(Maximum Capacity) which makes it one of the largest stadiums in Europe and the largest in Italy.

The building of the San Siro begun in 1925 in the region of Milan with the new stadium originally being titled Nuovo Stadio Calcistico San Siro, the New Football Stadium. San Siro was the concept of A.C. Milan’s president, who intended to build a stadium in the same region as the horse racing track. It was intended as a private stadium for soccer solely without athletics tracks, hallmarks of stadiums built with public financing.

San Siro was launched on 19th September 1926 with 35,000 fans witnessing Inter defeat Milan 6-3. There are various fascinating facts regarding the San Siro stadium that many people throughout the world are interested to learn.

Here are some facts about San Siro Stadium:

It was named from its location in Milan.

Several landmarks in Milan are named after the areas where they are located. That is the same incident with the San Siro stadium. It was created in the San Siro District of Milan which is a key place in the North of Italy.

San Siro has Another Official Name

San Siro is not the official name of the stadium even though it is usually referred to as that. The official name of the stadium is ‘Stadio Giuseppe Meazza’. Initially, during the construction of the stadium, it was dubbed Nuovo Stadio Calcistico San Siro which meaning San Siro New Football Stadium. However, this name was simplified simply to the San Siro.

Later on 2nd March 1980, the stadium was named after one of the most renowned footballers in Milan history who had died a year before, Giuseppe Meazza. Giuseppe has played for both Milan teams and has coached Inter twice. The Inter Milan fans dubbed to the stadium as Meazza since the famed footballer and manager had deeper links to Inter Milan than AC Milan

San Siro ranks as the Fourth-Largest Stadium across Europe.

Various teams around Europe boast of large stadiums that accommodate thousands of supporters during their games. Some of these massive places are Wembley Stadium, Camp Nou, Allianz Arena, and others.

San Siro is Europe’s fourth largest stadium. It has a seating capacity of 75,817(Limited Capacity)  making it the fourth biggest in Europe. Only three stadiums are larger than San Siro: FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, and Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion.

San Siro is one of Italy’s first built stadiums

Several top stadiums in Europe were not built in recent years, but they took years to develop into the magnificent stadiums they are today. The San Siro Stadium is one of the oldest in Italy and Europe.

It was erected in the San Siro District because AC Milan’s president, Piero Pirelli, owned a horse track in the area, making it simpler to place the new stadium. Construction began in 1925 and was finished one year later. After completion, it was exclusively intended for football because it lacked an athletics track, like other stadiums do.

San Siro, which cost 5 million lire to build, could accommodate 35,000 people.

Inter defeated AC Milan 6-3 in the first match played at the San Siro.

A year after construction, the stadium was formally opened with a game between Inter Milan and AC Milan. The official match was played on September 19, 1926.

AC Milan was the home team because it had controlled the stadium for the first decade, while Inter Milan was the away team in this match. AC Milan was humiliated terribly, losing 6-3 to their closest rivals.

The city of Milan purchased the stadium and made significant renovations.

Piero Pirelli, the then-president of AC Milan, owned the stadium for several years following its completion. However, no modifications were completed during this time, despite widespread expectations of stadium expansion.

The city of Milan bought the stadium in 1935 and began renovating it. The stadium’s four curves were erected, while the old stands received a new ring. Its refurbishment also involved extending the stadium and increasing spectator seating capacity to 55,000. This was a significant renovation to the stadium.

San Siro consists of 11 towers, which constitute its main feature.

Various stadiums across the world have distinct features. The San Siro stands out because of its 11 huge towers. These huge towers were designed to provide additional support for the third ring of the three stands.

The huge towers give the San Siro its unique aspect both inside and out. Four of the eleven towers of the San Siro were designed to support the freshly constructed roof. These four towers are visible as you enter the stadium.

San Siro has been home to 5 European Cups and two Champions League Finals.

Since the nineteenth century, the San Siro stadium has been regarded as one of the world’s most important. The San Siro has hosted a number of high-profile European matches over the years.

San Siro Stadium played home to three FIFA World Cup games in 1934, six UEFA Euro 1980 events, and seven European Cup finals. The San Siro hosted the European Cup finals in 1965, which Inter won, and Feyenoord won in 1970.

The UEFA Champions League final was held in the San Siro in 2001, and FC Bayern Munich won it. The San Siro also hosted the 2016 Champions League final, which Real Madrid won.

The stadium includes a museum.

Modern-day stadiums across Europe have museums where they keep their trophies and other prestigious things linked to the club. Some of the prestigious clubs with museums include Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The San Siro also has a museum for Inter Milan and AC Milan clubs. This museum offers interactive facilities and a tour for several visitors. The San Siro museum clearly shows the history of both clubs as well as it houses the shirts of the Italian World Cup teams that played in 1982 and 2006

Several huge events have been performed at the San Siro.

San Siro has hosted not only football but also a variety of other big events. The San Siro hosted a single boxing fight in 1960 and a rugby match in 2009. Major concerts have also taken place in the San Siro stadium over the years.

Since the 1980s, the San Siro has held some of Italy’s largest concerts. Bob Marley and the Wailers performed their debut concert in the San Siro stadium on June 27, 1980, as part of their Uprising Tour.

The San Siro stadium will continue to be a prominent facility for both football and non-football activities. Despite plans to destroy it and create a larger, more contemporary stadium, the present San Siro will remain an iconic symbol in Milan and across the world.