Why is Real Madrid's stadium called the 'Santiago Bernabeu'?

The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, home of Spanish football club Real Madrid, is one of the finest football stadiums in the world. The stadium has witnessed some of the greatest comebacks by Los Blancos in the history of the UEFA Champions League over the years and it remains one of the most formidable grounds to play in.

It is located at the heart of the city of Madrid at the Chamartin district. It is currently undergoing renovation and once completed, it is expected to be an architectural marvel that would draw visitors from across the world. But why is it known as the 'Santiago Bernabeu'?

The stadium is named after former footballer and Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu. It is built partly on the ground of a former stadium called Chamartin and Villa Ulpina. Bernabeu and Rafael Salgado took a loan from the Mercantil e Industrial Bank to buy the land adjacent to the Chamartin Stadium, the erstwhile home of Real Madrid.

Architects Manuel Muñoz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler gave shape to the stadium which was inaugurated on December 14, 1947, with a match between Real Madrid and Portuguese side Os Belenenses. But back then the stadium was known as the Nuevo Chamartin or the New Chamartin.

It was only in January 1955, after the completion of the first renovation works that saw the stadium accommodate 125,000 spectators, that the general assembly approved that the stadium would be known in the honour of the club president Santiago Bernabeu.

Santiago Bernabeu was a Spanish forward who played for Real Madrid until 1926. After hanging up his boots he would go on to become the manager of the first team. Then he was appointed as the director of the club and even worked in the capacity of an assistant manager.

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