Julio César Villagra Stadium
Estadio Julio César Villagra
El Gigante de Alberdi
View of the stadium in 2023
AddressArturo Orgaz 510
Córdoba
Argentina
OwnerC.A. Belgrano
Capacity30,500 [1]
Field size108 x 68 m
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened17 March 1929 (1929-03-17)
Renovated1997
Expanded2016
Construction costmn$85.000
Tenants
Belgrano (1929–present)
Website
belgranocordoba.com/estadio

Julio César Villagra Stadium, nicknamed El Gigante de Alberdi, is a football stadium located in Barrio Alberdi in Córdoba, Argentina.[2] Inaugurated on 17 March 1929, it is the home ground of Club Atlético Belgrano.[3] and seats 30,500 people.[1][4]

The stadium was named after Julio César Villagra (1961–1993), one of the greatest players for the club, who played for Belgrano from 1982 to 1993, when he committed suicide.[5][6]

History

The idea to build a stadium came in 1927 led by Belgrano member Carlos Courel, who then became club vice president. Belgrano asked the mayor of Córdoba, Emilio Olmos, for financial support to achieve that aim. Most of the work was financed by the Municipality, which lent the club mn$60,000. The total cost was about mn$85,000. The Belgrano executives committed to repay the loan in bimonthly payments of $2,000 each.[7]

The stadium is named after Julio César Villagra, one of the greatest idols of Belgrano

Alfredo García Voglio was behind the project, executed by Patiño and Fontaine Silva company. Work began in July 1928 and the stadium (capacity of 10,000 spectators) was inaugurated less than one year later, on 17 March 1929.[8] Until then, the main stadium in Córdoba was inaugurated in 1917, the first pitch in the city which had a capacity for 6.000. The stadium hosted the main friendly matches in Córdoba until it was closed in 1939.[9]

In the first match at the stadium, Belgrano played a friendly match v Estudiantes de La Plata, which defeated them 6–1. That same year, Belgrano celebrated their first title in their new stadium when the club won the Liga Cordobesa after beating Nacional 2–1. The lighting system was inaugurated in December 1945 in a match v Newell's Old Boys.[7]

In May 1997, the stadium was reopened after refurbishment, hosting a match where Belgrano defeated Argentina U20 2–1. That match was a friendly that helped the national team prepare for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Estadio Julio César Villagra on C.A. Belgrano
  2. ↑ "Estadio Julio César Villagra". Stadium Guide. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "El Gigante de Alberdi" (in Spanish). Club Athletico Belgrano Cordoba. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Stadium self-financed works 2023". Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  5. ↑ 20 años sin Julio Villagra, La Voz, 2013
  6. ↑ Villagra, el fútbol y la historia on Deodoro, published by the National University of Córdoba (UNC)
  7. 1 2 Historia del Gigante de Alberdi on Info Deportes
  8. ↑ 17 de marzo, un día más que especial para el Gigante de Alberdi
  9. ↑ El rincòn olvidado del fùtbol cordobés by Gustavo Farías on La Voz, 12 Aug 2017
  10. ↑ Belgrano 2 - Argentina Sub20 1
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