Fever pitches: our tour of the world's greatest stadiums starts in Madrid and ends in … Columbus, Ohio - renovations to Portuguese stadiums - demolition of Wembley Stadium

Soccer Digest, March, 2003 by Clemente Lisi

A STADIUM IS MORE THAN JUST a place where games are played--it's a shrine where the hopes and dreams of tens of thousands of people are crushed or fulfilled on a weekly basis.

Many stadiums enjoy a fame that parallels that of their host dubs. Home grounds are so vital to a team's mystique and personality that it's hard to imagine, for example, Real Madrid without the Bernabeu or Manchester United without Old Trafford.

There are dozens of venues that deserved to make our list of the 10 most beautiful stadiums in the world, but these are the places that have become more than just a permanent witness to the games played there, but memorable in their own right:

1 SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM MADRID

Thanks to the vision of Spanish president Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid's imposing, sleek home is one of central Madrid's most famed structures. The field--named Nuevo Chamartin Stadium when it was Completed in 1944--was built with donations from Real's loyal fans after the club's original home was ravaged in the Spanish Civil War.

The majestic stadium opened in 1947. During the 1950s, as the club's trophy case began to fill, so did its seats. The field was expanded in 1955 and renamed in honor of Bernabeu, who died in 1978. The stadium was renovated in time for the 1982 World Cup and improvements continued throughout the 1990s when a third deck was added, increasing its capacity to 106,500.

2 GIUSEPPE MEAZZA STADIUM MILAN, ITALY

"Amazing" is the word often uttered by fans as they stream into this legendary stadium. Home to both AC Milan and Inter Milan, Giuseppe Meazza lights up every weekend with passionate flag-wielding fans shooting off fireworks from its upper tier.

The stadium, commissioned by former AC Milan owner and tiremaker Piero Pirelli, opened in 1926. The Giuseppe Meazza was eventually purchased by the city of Milan, which enlarged it during the 1930s to a capacity of 65,000. It was again beefed up in 1955 to sit 82,000 so that it could accommodate Inter Milan's fans.

The stadium--which today seats 85,700, and was renamed in honor of Italian striker Giuseppe Meazza in 1979--has dosed circuit TVs scattered throughout its lower sections and its roof allows fans to stay dry on rainy days. But like many Italian stadiums, explosive fans pose a threat. Violence has gotten so out of hand that recent incidents have included riots and a motor scooter being tossed from the upper deck.

3 CENTENARIO STADIUM MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

This storied venue hosted the first World Cup final, in 1930, and has housed almost every major international competitions. Home to Penarol and Nacional, the Centenario is like many South American stadiums--a no-frills, concrete bowl with few amenities, but filled with passionate, enthusiastic crowds.

The stadium was built for both the World Cup and to celebrate 100 years of Uruguayan independence. Work on it was so slow that it was completed just days before the tournament's opening game. It currently enjoys a capacity of 76,609 and regularly hosts international friendlies and Copa Libertadores games.

4 AZTECA STADIUM MEXICO CiTY

The pride of Mexico has hosted some of the most memorable matches in World Cup history, including the 1970 and 1986 title games. The three-tiered stadium, which opened in 1966, was built on a vacant area of marshland on the city's outskirts and today houses the Mexican national team and several clubs.

The palatial stadium offers one of the world's most passionate, colorful atmospheres for soccer. Fans in the Azteca's lower section are only 30 feet from the field, and its steep upper deck offers spectators there a breathtaking view of the action below.

The Azteca is also one of the most intimidating places in the world to play thanks to the deafening noise of the Mexican fans and its altitude--it sits 7,800 feet above sea level.

5 MARACANA STADIUM RIO DE JANEIRO

This architectural marvel is the largest stadium in the world and the spiritual home of the Brazilian game. The Maracana, named for a nearby river, was built for the 1950 World Cup and' has been the site of many memorable games. The Maracana not only conjures up images of legendary Brazilian masters such as Pele and Ademir, but is also the site of several world attendance records. The 1950 World Cup final, in which Uruguay beat Brazil, 2-1, was played before a record crowd of 199,854.

The oval-shaped stadium, which features a moat that separates the fans from the field, is so popular that it has become a major tourist attraction. When the stadium opened, it was the most luxurious in the world. But after decades of decay, the stadium was renovated in 1998 and capacity lowered to 70,000 to ensure spectator safety.

6 OLD TRAFFORD STADIUM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

The home of Manchester United is one of the most luxurious, fan-friendly venues in the world. When punters aren't sitting in one of its 67,603 seats, they're enjoying its extravagant facilities. Fans can stroll down memory lane by visiting a three-floor museum that includes the club's trophy room. Or if a game turns out to be a bore, they can go to a replica of a press box and deliver custom commentary to some of the team's most beloved games.