Estadio Azteca: The Hispanic colossus with a glorious past and an exciting present

In the south of Mexico City, perched on volcanic rock and overlooking the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes, stands a monument, a symbol of the country and an emblem of the beautiful game. Estadio Azteca, a place where so many stories have been told, is a temple where many of soccer's most sacred chapters have been written.

Many of these moments happened during the FIFA World Cup. Mexico has so far hosted two editions of the biggest tournament in the soccer world, 1970 and 1986. In both, Estadio Azteca was the venue for the inaugural game and the final.

In June, Mexico will become the only country to host three editions of the FIFA World Cup. Although, on this occasion, it will share the honor of hosting the event with the United States and Canada. And, of course, Estadio Azteca, home of Club América and the Mexican national team, will once again have an important role: it will host the opening match. Its legend will grow and, without knowing for sure, could once again be the scene of soccer epics like those experienced in the past.

A glorious past

Designed by architects Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Rafael Mijares Alcérreca and inaugurated on May 29, 1966, Estadio Azteca was born with an unbridled ambition: to house more than 100,000 souls. Throughout its history, its capacity has varied as it has been remodeled. Currently, it has 87,523 seats, making it the eighth largest stadium on the planet.

Estadio Azteca's past is full of glorious moments in soccer history, many of them coming on the international game's biggest stage.

The "Match of the Century" and the coronation of Pelé

For many, the 1970 FIFA World Cup was the best edition to date. It produced two iconic moments that, at the time, went around the world. The first was the "Match of the Century," known as such for being the most exciting game of the 20th century. Italy, with players such as Giacinto Facchetti, Gianni Rivera and Luigi "Gigi" Riva, and West Germany, which, at the time, boasted players like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and Uwe Seeler, met in the semifinals on June 17, 1970. The 90 minutes of normal time ended in a 1-1 draw. During extra time, five more goals were scored, with the final score 4-3 in favor of the Italians.

The final saw another iconic moment in soccer history. Italy faced Brazil who, at the time, were two-time world champions led by Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. After being far superior to their opponents, Brazil were crowned champions with a 4-1 victory, winning their third title. At the final whistle, Estadio Azteca turned into a real party. Pelé, scorer of the Brazilian national team's first goal, was crowned "O Rei" ("The King") and carried out of stadium shirtless on his teammates' shoulders.

The day Maradona scored two of the most iconic goals in history

After Germany 1974, Argentina 1978 and Spain 1982, in 1986, Mexico once again hosted the FIFA World Cup, and once again, Estadio Azteca hosted both the opening game and the final. It also hosted the quarterfinal match between Argentina and England, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the former. Diego Armando Maradona was the scorer of the two goals that punched Argentina's ticket to the semifinals. However, they were not just any two goals; they were two goals that will be remembered for a lifetime.

The first came in the 51st minute and was, is and will always be one of the most controversial goals in the history of soccer. Maradona went for a ball that was coming over the top after a deflection and got in front of the English goalkeeper. When he couldn't reach the ball with his head, he struck the ball with his left hand in the direction of the goal. Despite the English team's angry protests, the referee did not see the hand ball and awarded the goal, which made the score 1-0. After the end of the game, Maradona explained that the ball was hit "a bit with my head and a bit with the hand of God." This quote led the goal, which today would be overturned with instant replay, to become known simply as "The Hand of God."

Four minutes later, a masterpiece was created, the goal that gave Argentina the victory. It was described as the "Goal of the Century." After taking the ball in the middle of the field, Maradona began to run and dribble past every opponent who got in front of him. In total, he left seven English players in his path, including the goalkeeper, and sent the ball into the back of the net. It made the score 2-0, a result that brought Argentina within reaching distance of the 1986 FIFA World Cup title. England's Gary Lineker's goal nine minutes from time was to no avail.

An exciting present

In June, Estadio Azteca will have the opportunity to host another iconic moment. However, unlike the 1970 and 1986 editions, it will not host the final, but it will host the first game (and four others) of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will make it the only stadium on the planet to have hosted three World Cup openings.

Regarding its image, in order to comply with FIFA standards of this era, Estadio Azteca began a comprehensive renovation process that seeks to modernize its facilities, without losing that mystique that only the years can provide. For example, the entrances, lighting and boxes have been improved. The renovations also came as a result of criticism regarding the stadium's age and urban environment.