5 stadiums named after great footballers
A large number of people around the world play football. A smaller group play professionally and an even smaller bunch win trophies and honours. But only a handful of people will ever have a stadium named after them.
A number of stadiums around the world have been re-named over the years due to corporate sponsorships deals. But a few traditional clubs have re-named their respective stadiums in recognition of former servants of the clubs for their achievements.
Here, we take a look at five great footballers who have had stadiums named in their honour.
Santiago Bernabeu
Santiago Bernabeu, born in 1895, was a former Real Madrid player, manager and president. One of the most important men in the history of the club, Bernabeu served as Madrid's president until the day of his death in 1978, after which the club's stadium was named in his honour.
Real Madrid, in the 1920s during Bernabeu's playing days, were a small club with a modest goal for the future. However, post World War II and Spain's internal civil conflict, organised football began to take shape again.
After a stint in the army during the war, the legendary figure sought to restructure the club and he earned a place on the board after years of service. He oversaw the transformation of the club with visionary ideas that still shape the world of football today.
The Madrid-born football fanatic, Bernabeu assembled a team of world beaters in the 50s and 60s that helped mould Real Madrid's image as a European giant. Bernabeu helped build the stadium that bears his name today, along with structuring the club's training programs and methods.
Real Madrid would not be the Real Madrid of today without Santiago Bernabeu.