The Real Madrid stadium changes its name

Farewell Santiago Bernabeu, Welcome The Bernabeu. According to reliable sources, Marca above all, Real Madrid is preparing to change the name of its historic stadium to turn it into a true brand. And while the change may seem irrelevant at first glance, it actually represents the new direction of Florentino Perez's society, which sees the stadium as the main asset to confirm their football supremacy in Europe and around the world. In fact, in recent years, the Santiago Bernabeu has undergone a futuristic restyling, adding new elements and features that expand its possibilities for use. This includes the retractable playing field, which allows for both maintaining the grass and replacing the field with a more suitable surface for events or concerts, such as the highly anticipated stop on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Or the complete closure of the roof during some matches of the past Champions League, which transformed the Bernabeu into a true Dome.

Therefore, in the future, the Santiago Bernabeu will be less and less the home of Real Madrid and more and more a multifunctional place for the entire Spanish capital, where major cultural and entertainment events will take place, not just for Merengues fans. This change in purpose will also affect the naming of the facility, removing the name of one of the protagonists of Madrid's history. Santiago Bernabeu was a player from 1921 to 1926, then a coach, and finally the president for the next 34 years. He was the one who wanted a new stadium for Real Madrid, which has carried his name since its inauguration in 1955. And until now, no one had thought of changing it, recognizing in that name the identity of Blancos that still defines the tradition and aesthetics of Carlo Ancelotti's team.

With a 84,744 capacity, the Santiago Bernabeu is the third largest stadium in Europe, surpassed only by Camp Nou and Wembley, and one of the most recognizable. Unlike other major European teams, which have chosen to sell the name of their stadium to companies for advertising purposes - see, for example, Spotify with Camp Nou - Real Madrid has taken the opposite path, creating a branding for the stadium that can live independently from the team. This is further proof of how a privately owned stadium is truly a fundamental asset for any football club that wants to plan for the future.