World Soccer - UK (2020-10)

GREATEST GAMES

1959

June 3

Real Madrid 2-0 Reims

Goals from Enrique Mateos and Alfredo Di Stefano make

it four European Cup triumphs in a row for Real Madrid

as they beat Reims 2-0 in the final. The ground hosted

its second European Cup final 29 years later, with

PSV beating Benfica on penalties.

1988

June12

England 0-1 Republic of Ireland

Ray Houghton scores the only goal of the game as the

Republic of Ireland beat England in their opening match at

Euro ’88. Bobby Robson’s side failed to take a point from

any of their three at the finals, while Ireland finished third

in the group behind the Soviet Union and Netherlands.

2006

July 8

Germany 3-1 Portugal

Then known as the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart’s

ground hosted the third-place play-off at the 2006 World

Cup. A brace from Bastian Schweinsteiger and a Petit own

goal was enough to award Germany the Bronze medal,

with a late consolation goal from Nuno Gomes.

A

fter a season of second

division football – albeit

in front of huge 39,500-

strong crowds – Stuttgart’s

impressive home ground will be hosting

top-flight Bundesliga games once again

following VfB’s promotion.

Originally

known as the

Adolf-Hitler-

Kampfbahn,

the stadium

has undergone

numerous name

changes and

rebuilding work,

before being

Location:Stuttgart, Germany

Team:VfB Stuttgart

Built: 1933

Capacity:60,441

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE OCTOBER 2

MERCEDES-BENZ ARENA

STADIUMS

Sellout...Stuttgart had the

highest average attendance

of any second-tier side in

Europe in 2019-20

Champions...Real

Madrid collect the

1959 European Cup

Third place...Germany

v Portugal in 2006

Training...England during

the 2006 World Cup

sponsored by the local car-

manufacturing giant in 2008.

Twice a European Cup final venue,

the arena has also hosted matches at

two World Cup finals, the Euros and seen

Stuttgart crowned German champions

five times, most recently in 2007.

As well as regularly staging

international fixtures forDie Mannschaft,

the stadium was also home to

Stuttgarter Kickers for their two brief

spells in the top tier and – before its

conversion to a football-specific stadium

• several big athletics championships.