It is one of the most important playing fields in South America and the Argentinean stadium where the Argentinean national football team plays most frequently.
River Plate has the largest capacity stadium in Argentina, allowing for more than 84 spectators, and is recognized as one of the most important stadiums in South America.
After the extension in 1978, when Argentina hosted the World Cup, this stadium was the most common home of the national team.
River has one of the largest sports museums in the world, with a covered area of 3.500 square metres where the history of the club is exhibited. Its attractions include a 360° audiovisual show, a large stage design that pays homage to "La máquina"’ (River's famous team of the 1940s) and the "Túnel del Tiempo".
In addition, the stadium is used for the organization of numerous large-scale musical events.
A little bit of history
The Monumental was inaugurated in 1938. But, to get to this definitive stadium, the club went through several others, located in different neighbourhoods of the city, and even stayed for a short time at one in Sarandí, in the province of Buenos Aires, on the other side of the river. Because River Plate was born in the neighbourhood of La Boca, in 1901, a few years before the Boca Juniors club was founded. That is why the first stadium was on the east side of the south dock, near the Carboneras Wilson. But later the club was evicted a couple of times and ended up moving to the north of the city map.
On 20 May 1923, the stadium was inaugurated on Av. Alvear and Tagle. Do you know how many members River had at that time? Only 5.070! But in time, the stadium became too small and it was then that it reached its current location. The foundation stone of the Monumental was laid on 25 May 1935 and it was officially inaugurated on 26 May 1938. In November 1986, it was renamed after Antonio Vespucio Liberti, River's four-time president and the man behind its construction.
Curiosities
Did you know that the River Plate stadium was completed thanks to the proceeds from the sale of Enrique Omar Sívori? The famous River Plate player, considered one of the best Argentinean footballers, was transferred to the Italian club Juventus in 1957 for a record sum for the time.
Long before that, in 1931, River bought Carlos Peucelle for 10 pesos and that earned them the nickname of being the "millonario’ team.
One more thing, although it is always said that River is the club from Núñez, technically its stadium is located in the Belgrano neighbourhood.