Estádio Olímpico Monumental

Lore & Background

The stadium opened on September 19, 1954, with a maximum capacity of 38,000. In 1980, it was expanded to 85,000 capacity. In 1990, the upper ring bleachers were numbered, reducing capacity to 51,081. The inaugural match was Grêmio 2–0 Nacional (Uruguay) on September 19, 1954, with the first goal scored by Grêmio's Vitor. The attendance record is 85,721, set on April 26, 1981, when Ponte Preta beat Grêmio 1–0. Grêmio won the Copa Libertadores at the stadium on July 29, 1983, defeating Peñarol. Grêmio moved to Arena do Grêmio on December 8, 2012. The venue is now unused and lacks maintenance.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hum to life and the air in the upper tier tastes of cold Porto Alegre night and cheap coffee from a thermos passed hand to hand. A young Gremista, third generation, presses his forehead against the cold railing of the stand. Below, the pitch is a green rectangle of silence before the storm. The tunnel breathes out a column of players in black and white, and the sound that rises from the stands is not a cheer — it is a single, sustained note, a wall of voice that bends the air. His grandfather used to say that the Olímpico doesn't make noise; it makes pressure. You feel it in your sternum. The ball is struck, the net ripples, and the note in the stands breaks into a thousand individual voices, all saying the same thing, all meaning the same thing. The young Gremista closes his eyes. He does not need to see. He knows exactly where he is.

Reader's Guide

The stadium was also used for concerts. The first concert was by Sting, with 60,000 attendees. Rod Stewart performed to about 30,000. Eric Clapton performed in October 2001 to a full stadium. In 2002, Roger Waters and Rush performed to sold-out crowds. Lenny Kravitz performed in 2005 to a large audience. Madonna performed a sold-out concert to 43,000 on December 9, 2012, as part of the MDNA Tour, which was the last concert at the stadium.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was originally called Estádio Olímpico until 1980.
• The first goal at the stadium was scored by Grêmio's player Vitor.
• The stadium's highest attendance was 85,721 for a match in 1981.
• Madonna's 2012 concert was the last event held at the stadium.