Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez

Atlético Junior Colombian national football team

• Copa America 2001
• U-20 Football World Cup 2011
• Concerts

The Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez (formerly Estadio Metropolitano ) is the largest football stadium in Colombia and is in the city of Barranquilla, capital of the northern province of Atlántico. On March 17, 1991, the stadium after Colombian football player and coach of Atlético Junior, Roberto " El Flaco " Meléndez, named.

History

The stadium was originally built for the FIFA World Cup 1986, after Colombia on June 9, 1974 was awarded the contract for the World Cup. The foundation stone of the building was laid on 7 December 1979. In November 1982, the Colombian Association Federación Colombiana de Fútbol gave the tournament away again, because you can not host an event with 24 teams instead of 16. The opening of the stadium was celebrated on 11 May 1986 with the Game Atlético Junior against the Uruguayan national football team (2:1). Back then, it took 75,000 spectators. In the stadium the team plays for Atlético Junior and the Colombian national football team uses the venue.

It now offers the audience of 58,000 seats. The sports facility has an athletics track. In the stadium, there are four Umnkleidekabinen, 27 commentators cabins and medical facilities. Outside the stadium are 1,600 parking spaces available. On February 1, 2004 Carlos Valderrama celebrated his farewell game at the stadium, in which, inter alia, Diego Maradona, José Luis Chilavert, Enzo Francescoli, Faustino Asprilla, Leonel Álvarez and the musician Carlos Vives were present. In addition to the football games as well as musicians Shakira, Juanes and Carlos Vives occurred to concerts at the stadium.

Currently, the stadium is completely renovated with a budget of 22.5 billion Colombian pesos for the U-20 World Cup 2011. This is, inter alia, the career of renewed; large video scoreboards installed; A new parking lot built behind the North Stand; built a new floodlight system and a video surveillance system installed. The costs are borne by the city of Barranquilla to 30 percent and the Colombian state with 70 percent.