Since its completion in 1957, the Camp Nou has been the sacred home of decades of footballing legends. From Johan Cruyff to Rivaldo to Lionel Messi, the sporting cathedral that replaced the previous stadium, Les Corts, has housed a number of memorable moments and squads that will be remembered long after the lights on this incarnation of the Camp Nou are off.
The signing of Hungarian superstar Laszlo Kubala in 1950 was the most significant catalyst for the planning of a new stadium to replace Les Corts, the club’s home since 1922. The 1982 World Cup saw new additions as the arena hosted the opening match, a semi-final and more matches than any other stadium in Spain during the event. While new renovations planned to be finished by May 2022 are currently being undertaken on the stadium, the current 99,000+ seat behemoth is still a hallowed ground in the sport.
Camp Nou is the largest football stadium in Europe, with only Rungrado May Ray Stadium, home to the North Korean national team, being a larger stadium in the world. Along with the stadium itself, the club has capitalized on the millions of tourists that have made the journey to Catalonia, and the Camp Nou Experience is a chance for those guests to look back on the rich history of the club.
Some of the treasures on display include Messi’s Ballon d’Or trophies, the Champions League cups and boots and documents from several of the club’s most important moments.
Dan of ‘The Barcelona Podcast‘ duo recently visited for Barcelona’s match-up with Celta de Vigo and gave a special report from inside the Camp Nou. Check it out here:
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The Barcelona Podcast is brought to you by Francesc Tomas (as seen in ESPN, The Guardian) and Dan Hilton (Barcablog). Listen in for the hottest breaking stories from the Camp Nou!
