Scoring at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium!

Sitting at the opposite edge of the city from Spain’s Royal Palace, we trudged through the heat to arrive at what may be a more influential monument to the inhabitants of Madrid: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid. One of Spain’s and the world’s most elite soccer franchises, Real Madrid has won 12 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 World Club cups, and 33 championships in La Liga (Spain’s professional league). With over 81,000 seats, the stadium was reminiscent of past world championships, innumerable record-setting players, and moments that live in soccer infamy.

After waiting outside in a line stretching the length of the stadium, we climbed up four flights of stairs to reach the top where students snapped selfies and group shots of this enigmatic field. A quintessential visit for any soccer or sports fans, the gathering from the top provided a view fit for a king.

Returning back down below, we meandered through dimly-lit halls of the museum that encased all of the trophies and awards of Real Madrid’s long extraordinary history.

The recent departure of Real Madrid’s most decorated player, Cristiano Ronaldo, was an elephant in the room. His presence lingered in the stadium having left a long-lasting mark on this club, city, and country. Achieving more than any soccer player to ever walk out onto Santiago Bernabeu’s pitch, one couldn’t help but notice visitors to the stadium still wearing his jersey, as if in a final display of respect to honor the team’s former superstar.

After crossing the interactive museum, we entered the locker rooms, where the sting of Ronaldo’s absence was truly felt; the locker emblazoned with the bold number 7 remained empty and void.

Students relished in the opportunity to snap photos in front of the lockers of other acclaimed players, such as that of Sergio Ramos, Ascenció, and Croatian superstar, Luka Modric. Just a few steps outside of the luxurious locker room, we advanced onto the grass and sat on the bench where the greats rest during home games. A truly unforgettable experience for many enthusiastic sports fans.

After our legs grew tired, we eventually made it to the three-storied souvenir shop where students picked up all sorts of merchandise from jerseys to stickers to bring home for loved ones (or simply for themselves).

A visit to this stadium is a mandatory stop for any soccer or sports fan, and students certainly enjoyed the opportunity to stand in the palace of Spain’s soccer crème de la crème. ¡Hala Madrid!

By Graham Cruise