Cícero Pompeu de Toledo
Morumbi
Sao Paulo
15/08/1952
Sao Paulo FC
80.000
Facts & History
Contents |
Stadium Overview
Stadium History
August fifteenth, nineteen hundred and fifty-two is a date that will be remembered forever by the Tricolor. This was the date when Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, a historical São Paulo fan, laid the foundation stone for what would become the largest private stadium on the Planet for many years.
Toledo not only laid the foundation stone, with his dreams and hopes for the São Paulo nation. He also lent his name for an adventure that would eternalize São Paulo’s greatness forever.
The first opening celebration was held on October 2, 1960, with a match against Sporting Lisboa, which São Paulo won with a goal by Arnaldo Poffo Garcia, nicknamed “Peixinho”.
The referee was Olten Ayres de Abreu, a former athlete and illustrious São Paulo fan, who today holds an adviser for life position. One week later, the Tricolor added Djalma Santos and Julinho Botelho, from Palmeiras, and Almir Albuquerque, from Corinthians, to their teams of stars. And once again São Paulo was victorious, this time 3 x 0 against Nacional from Montevideo, with goals by Canhoteiro and Gino (2).
On January 25, 1970, almost18 years later, the club started 720 meters of seats to this giant which was already the largest in the world, with São Paulo 1 x 1 Porto of Portugal match, with goals scored by Waltemiro Fernandes Pessoa (Miruca) and Vieira Nunes for Porto. The giant stretched up from the earth with 50 thousand cubic meters of concrete and six thousand tons of iron. The dream had come true, thanks to the effort of many São Paulo fans, who took part with passion, sweat and work.
Over these past fifty years, Morumbi has always been the preferred stadium for its great artistic and sports events held in São Paulo, where the Mass offered by Pope John Paul II on July 3, 1980, must be underscored. And to accompany evolution, Morumbi also modernized. It reduced its capacity to 80 thousand seats in an effort to offer total security and comfort to its fans and to satisfy FIFA determinations.
The pitch measures 108.00 x 72.00 meters and has a computerized irrigation system and Bermuda grass. It also has 2 covered bench areas with capacity for up to 15 athletes and technical commission and 1 shelter area for representatives, totally adapted for international championships. The illumination system is equipped with 256 lamps that provide 1500 LUX of illumination per point. The stadium has an area for the physically handicapped with 92 spaces for wheelchairs and 102 seats for companions. Morumbi also offers Habib’s snack bars, a sound system and 2 electronic scoreboards for the public.
Inside the stadium, there are five locker rooms, 4 for teams and 1 for referees, 2 auditoriums for press conferences, a physiotherapy department, an Anti-Doping Room, a ground floor press room completely equipped with a lounge, public phones, fax room, bar and bathrooms, 6 radio and 4 television booths, 12 VIP booths, parking garage and medical emergency room.
The middle ring of the stadium is like home to the administrative area with a cafeteria, video room, files, memorial (trophy room), noble room, auditorium for 240 people, including the president’s office and director’s meeting room. Inside there is a sports complex that is the envy of any club in the world. São Paulo continues its work in creating star players, shaping citizens and filling its fans with pride, fans that have always been used to celebrate important victories
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