Since 1966, Atletico Madrid has played home games at Stadio Vicente Calderón (Vincente Calderón Stadium) in the Arganzuela neighborhood on the banks of the River Manzanares. However, the club relocated to a new stadium for the 2017–2018 season, the Estadio Metropolitano (Metropolitan Stadium), in the Rosas neighborhood of the San Blas district.
The stadium has hosted some of the greatest games in football history. Throughout 1,227 home games, Athletico Madrid won 775, tied 257, and lost 195. They outscored visitors 2,308 to 1,038. The ruined Vincente Calderón Stadium may be seen from the nearby Puerto De Toledo, a stunning Roman bridge.
History of Vincente Calderón Stadium
In the 1960s, Atlético’s home stadium, Stadium Metropolitano, was demolished and replaced with Estadio Vicente Calderón. Since 1923, Atlético had called Stadium Metropolitano home. However, the stadium had aged dramatically, and rival Real Madrid had just constructed the new Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Estadio Vicente Calderón was the first large all-seater stadium in Europe when it opened in 1970 with a capacity of 62,000 seats and no standing spaces. The stadium’s name was changed from Estadio de Manzaneras to Estadio Vicente Calderón in 1971 after the then-president of the club oversaw its construction.
In 1982, three second-round group matches were played at Estadio Vicente Calderón as part of the World Cup. The stadium hasn’t seen many changes throughout the years, and the red, white, and blue seats were really part of a capacity reduction measure.
Atletico Madrid stated in 2011 that they would build a new stadium, Wanda Metropolitano, on the site of the former Estadio de la Peineta in the city’s east. The club originally planned to move into their new stadium in 2015, but construction delays meant they wouldn’t be ready until the 2017-18 season.
The 2017 Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Alaves was the last game ever played at Estadio Vicente Calderon. Atletico Madrid’s last home game in the stadium was a 3-1 league loss to Athletic six days previously.
The Vicente Calderon will be torn down after Atletico Madrid relocates to their new stadium, and it will be replaced by a complex of apartments and a park.
The M-30 dual highway, which ran from the South Node Toledo Bridge, passed directly beneath one of the main stands at the Vicente Calderón, which was a significant and fairly stunning element of the stadium.
Additionally, starting with the Rolling Stones in 1982 and continuing with performances by David Bowie, Placido Domingo, Bon Jovi, One Direction, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Jackson, it has played host to some of the best concerts in recent memory.
Now, the area will be redeveloped for housing and retail, with construction set to begin in 2021. The neighborhood will be completely transformed by the new Mahou-Calderón complex, which spans over 200,000 square meters and includes community centers and public gardens.
How to get to Vincente Calderón Stadium
The Estadio Vicente Calderón is situated on the Manzaneras River’s banks, along the M-30 highway, which passes directly underneath the stadium’s main stand and on the southern outskirts of Madrid’s city center. It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the stadium from Plaza Mayor and even less time to get there from Madrid’s Palacio Real, which is virtually directly south.
Pirámides is the closest metro stop, and it takes 10 minutes to walk there. Pirámides is located on metro line 5, which runs directly through the heart of Madrid (stops include Pera, Callao, and Gran Via). A 15-minute walk separates the stadium from the Marques de Vadillo metro station, which is on line 5 but is located on the other side of the river.
Cercana commuter trains also stop at Pirmides station. Train stations Atocha and Chamartn are among those with which the stadium is connected through lines C-7 and C-10.
Conclusion
It is unfortunate that we are no longer able to visit this memorable stadium in the heart of Madrid, although we hope you enjoyed reading about the history of this iconic cultural building and can envision it on some of its most glorious days.
