the Vélodrome, the home of Olympique de Marseille

Last update 7 May, 2024 por Alberto Llopis

If there is any enclosure with magic in France is the Vélodrome Marseille. Second stage with greater capacity in the country with shelter for 60.031 spectators, sólo superado por el moderno Saint-Dennis de París, este coqueto escenario fue construido con el objeto de albergar el Mundial de fútbol que organizó Francia en 1938.

El estadio Vélodrome de Marsella: El hogar del Olympic

First stage built with cement in the world, called by the huge cycling tradition given in this enclosure. Ten headquarters late stage of Tour de France, and various track cycling competitions, He also served as the basis for other competitions such as athletics, rugby (many national and international matches are played), boxing or gymnastics.

Even though, sin duda, would it be and football is what has marked the history of some of the most beautiful coliseums around the Old Continent. Y es que , as we mentioned, el Vélodrome Marseille tuvo el placer de acoger tercer campeonato mundial de la historia. Only two games of this World Cup were played at the stadium, although one of them, the France-Italy semifinal in stellar plan Meazza, It was just such a level that justified the investment of that great work. Especially since the legendary Italian striker had to score the both the Azzurri victory with one hand clutching his pants thanks to that had broken the tape that held it.

Sin duda, Olympique which would mark the best moments of venue marsellés. Inaugurado precisamente por el equipo local en un amistoso contra ‘Il Grande Torino‘ en 1937, The French team is the tenant of the stadium owned by the city, and responsible for paying 41.500 Consistory euros per match to Marseille, further 0,63 euros per viewer for each meeting that exceed 25.000 personas.

Known for its popular four tiers (tributes to important figures of the area), Gustave Ganay and the tribune Jean Bouin and curves Patrice de Peretti North and South Chevalier Roze, the fact is that there have been many renovations that have suffered throughout history that have allowed him to change her appearance on many occasions. Even, it became military Parking World War II.

In sporting terms, He has won nine leagues Olympique playing at home in the stadium, and a European Cup, achieved in the season 92-93 gracias a hombres como Marcel Desailly o Jean Pierre-Papin, which they generated enormous joy to one of the hottest hobbies in Europe, and troubled by some violent and non-sporting events that have tarnished the image of the club and the stadium on more than one occasion.

Sede de la Eurocopa de 1960 (hosting the semifinal between Czechoslovakia and the USSR) y de la Euro 1984, would be the Mundial de 1998 another of its climax, especially because it was hosting several parties level, as the quarter-final between the Netherlands and Argentina will be remembered for the spectacular goal by Dennis Bergkamp and myocardial semifinal between tulips and Brazilians, American victory that ended in a thrilling penalty shootout.

Sede en el Mundial de Francia de 1998

Headquarters of 12 team matches, in that year 1998, the field saw shine to one of the prodigals city, Zinedine Zidane, que curiosamente nunca jugó en el Olympique. Nor did it ever Michael Platini, who also left to remember one of the greatest moments of ecstasy on site, cuando anotó en el último minuto de la prórroga de la Eurocopa 84 the goal that gave the victory to France over Portugal and classified the Gauls for final.

En 2016, el estadio volvió a vivir otra Eurocopa. Aunque esta con un aforo reducido. Los 42.965 espectadores que le permitió su nueva y última remodelación y que lo convirtió en una de las obras más modernas de toda Europa. Although that is, siguió conservando la esencia de siempre: that of the passion for football.