WHY demolish iconic football stadiums? | The story of San Siro 

San Siro is a cathedral of football. I'm amazed it's gonna get smashed down. For me, architecture wise, it's amazing, it's still astounding.

I think the best solution would be to emulate what Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Dortmund have done with their stadiums: renovate and modernize whilst giving both clubs ownership of San Siro, following the Metlife Stadium model. It's not impossible. Even though it might get tricky, but it's been done before and should be done with this icon of Italian football.

Man, I love these videos... As a Juve fan, I personally would be saddened to see the Stadium at San Siro demolished. That ambient, the noise, the majesty... is just unreplaceable. I hope both clubs and the Comune find a way to have the grounds repaired and modernized without destroying them.

As a United fan it would be awful to see the San Siro torn down. I grew up watching football Italia in the 90s and this is up there with the most iconic stadiums in the world. They are going to try and do the same to Old Trafford in the next few years, grounds with so much history need to be modernised not replaced. Madrid have nailed this concept with the Bernabau.

If there is one thing I love most about Italians, it is their love for the architecture that surrounds them and them and the passion to preserve it.

The problem is: the people you interviewed who are against the new stadium would've been also against a big renovation of San Siro because it would've "lost its soul". That's also one of the reasons why the city can't just sell it to the clubs and let them renovate it: it would be unpopular

This was a bucket list stadium for me. I managed to watch my team - Spurs - play their against AC in February. Such an amazing place. Proper football stadium and great atmosphere.

San Siro is the greatest piece of football architecture ever built. I've been to all of Europe's pre-eminent stadiums and this is head and shoulders above them all. When you first visit it takes your breath away. Pulling it down would be like when New York pulled down Penn Station. It would be an act of vandalism that would leave a stain on the reputation of the city for generations. Comparing it to places like the old Wembley is pure ignorance. Apart from the main stand's facade hat wasn't a special building, it was only special because of the memories. It had terrible sightlines and was built for standing - it was never suitable to convert to all-seated. San Siro is a fantastic place to watch a game of football. Refurbish it, add hospitality boxes, donate the stadium to the clubs on the condition that they stay and renovate it, but for God's sake recognise and respect the grandeur and class of what you've got.

Why doesn't Milan lease the stadium to the two teams for 99 years and work together with them to renovate the stadium. It's been not like it hasn't been changed over the years. I understand the stadium is iconic and part of the soul of the city but that guy at the end opposing the plans also didn't understand that part of what made it great was the teams and fans and the amazing football events that happens there. Without the people it's just an empty hunk of concrete.

if you think of a football stadium, chance is one of the first things coming to your mind will be a picture of the san siro. everyone involved should do anything they can to keep the san siro alive. not just for AC and Inter but football in general. as a football fan from germany, even i would feel like losing part of my identity without this stadium.

if the milan municipality want to keep their beloved stadium, then they should make concessions for the football teams, undergo renovations in the stadium... having renovations in the stadium isn't giving in to corporate demands, it is to give fans more comfort and a better matchday experience... they could begin by renovate the toilets, the seating doesn't seem to be in a fantastic state too. I wish the clubs and the city get to an arrangement where this stadium gets to live on and the fans are granted renovations for a better and more comfortable matchday experience

Football getting privatized has been one of the worst changes it hss seen in its history. Football used to be for and by the people. Nowadays its only about business

The Milan Derby in a UCL semi-final at the San Siro , the year before the stadium is demolished. What a fitting ending for such an iconic ground Milanista Last Dance

This is the best looking stadium in Europe sad that its being torn down.

San Siro is the heartbeat of Milan. Both Milan clubs won league titles and Champions league titles and one of the biggest cathedral in Europe and the world. Unfortunately, both Milan clubs and most Serie A clubs bar Juventus, Atalanta and Udinese play in stadium that are owned by the City Council. Expanding and refurbishment of the San Siro requires permission from the City Council and even some of the ticket sales goes to the City Council instead of all the ticket sales goes to both Milan clubs. Hence why both Milan clubs would rather build their own stadiums than to play at the San Siro forever.

Absolutely love this stadium, the most iconic for me in Italy and I'm hoping to visit it before demolition. However in its current state of mismanagement by the city council there is no way Inter and AC Milan can afford to stay there or wait on the council to take a decision. Much of the nostalgia is misguided as well, this is the reality unless the Milan city council wants to get serious and stop fooling around. Bayern Munich moved from the Olympiastadion which was just as iconic, nobody even recalls it these days. Bayern wouldn't be as healthy financially if it was still in that stadium or renting from a town council. Ajax and Arsenal are other teams that left behind their old homes.

It's an architectural Icon with many unique elements and it should be protected. That said the argument that the clubs need a new ground is very valid and they should pursue it. The dilemma is: if the clubs leave, the stadium will put a serious strain on the citied budget and it will suffer from a lack of investment. Beyond a few concerts per year and perhaps a museum or something I can't see a good use for it... so the stadium is pretty much doomed. Also the land around it is pretty underused and could need some serious development

I have had the luck of going to San Siro several times since I lived in Milan and still visit often. The Stadium is great and deserves its legendary status, but it has gotten a little to old. It needs a renovation at least

I’ve always wanted to go to the San Siro since I saw that picture of matterazzi and rui costa photo as a kid. This doc made me sad and I really want to before it’s demolished. Great doc!

Crazy that its almost 100 Years old, looks so modern and futuristic somehow...

I ( Bayern season ticket since 2001 ) love San Siro more than any other stadium. What a pleasure it was to go there in September, my 14th time in this fantastic stadium. Love it so much. Keep your hands off !

4:19 funny thing both Flamengo and Boca are thinking about demolishing it’s stadiums. And Flamengo’s reason to do so is pretty much the same as Inter and Milan’s.

San Siro is an icon of a stadium. I have climbed the stairs and the feeling is breathtaking. Nothing like a cold Milanese night with Pizza in Pizza OK in neighbouring Marghera pizzeria followed by an amazing European Match

1:42 this guy put it PERFECTLY💯💯

Watching a Milan derby in San Siro is my childhood dream..I San Siro is really demolished I would be heartbroken

No matter what happens, I'm glad I got the chance to watch a game there. It was a decade ago. Sat three rows behind the net in curva sud! Abbiatti played that game, Balo scored a PK against Palermo. I hope they do it justice whether they tear it down or rejuvenate it! Got to visit the stadium three days before the game and sat on Abbiatti's seat in the locker room.

I went and watched the Milan classico in 2017.. amazing experience.. amazing stadium! We had a beautiful time in the city ❤ Please don't tear it down 😢 Keep your heritage and traditions 💪

Was lucky enough to visit this great stadium last year. got to visit travelling on the milanese metro and go through the San siro stop great experience.

This is one of the great coliseums of football. It would be criminal to tear it down. Milan and inter should be given a chance to buy it and renovate it.

First Highbury, Delle Alpi, then Gerland, White Hart Lane and Vicente Calderon, now San Siro, it's sad to see historic football venues being extingushed forever 😭😭😭

Would be like tearing down the Colosseum. Hopefully sense prevails! Having said that, it has always amazed me that Inter and AC Milan share a common stadium, it's kind of rare among giant clubs and yet they have done so for a hundred years!

San Siro is literally so iconic that I'm planning a trip all the way to Milan to watch a game before it gets demolished. It'll be sad to see such a great stadium go

That stadium is amaizing and just need to restyle and refresh. San siro never died!

Tottenham fans hate that their club is run by people that care only about the bottom line and nothing about on pitch success. I don't think any fanbase really wants their club headed in that direction. I don't see why the clubs and the municipality could not come up with a plan to renovate and modernize while preserving San Siro. It would be a tragedy to lose a stadium with such history.

For me this San Siro/ Giuseppe Meazza is the true temple of football, one of the last beautiful classic and inconic grounds.

I am glad the movement to preserve the San Siro is gaining momentum. I have been following the debate for at least a couple of years already and I must say it's absolutely heartbreaking to hear that such an iconic building of undeniable public importance is in danger of getting demolished. What's even more astounding is that stakeholders (the 2 clubs) drive this narrative of economic hardship when there is this enormous brand potential of the San Siro that lies entirely untapped. It's mind boggling. You simply cannot build the kind of brand recognition or the embedded history and prestige that these older stadiums like the San Siro or Old Trafford or even a place like Wrigley Filed or Madison Square Garden have. Yeah you can hire great architects to build you new stadium like we just saw in Qatar or you see pop up all over North America and Europe. But the truth is once you are inside any of those stadiums, you completely lose any sense of place because they all look more or less the same. The Emirates stadium, the etihad stadium, tottenham's new pitch. They look pretty much identical at pitch level and frankly they are garbage from the perspective of iconic design or brand recognition.

The older generation in Italy never let go.. it’s romantic but it’ll bring Milan and inter into the ground unfortunately. Milan and inter needs two separate stadiums for the best not just for Milan and inter but for Italian football itself.

Great vid. Ok, here’s my thoughts on this- The new Milan stadium Cathedrale is beautiful but it has a capacity of 60k. Does it need to exceed to the 80k San Siro holds on a regular basis? Could Milan council retain the rights to the stadium , assist with necessary upgrades eg toilets in Curva Sud but sell a portion of the middle tier to the clubs. Then it’s up to the clubs on how they use that tier/ redevelop it for corporate sponsorship? I’d love the San Siro to be retained but surely it’s in the city’s interest to enable some freedoms for corporate sponsorship? Otherwise the clubs will move to cheaper land but still retain the names of Inter and Milan. And I still need to visit the San Siro

Like so many Italian stadiums, it looks good from a distance, but is a dump up close. It is a shame they couldn't renovate it, but the municipality wouldn't do it, because there's little incentive for them to do so, and the clubs wouldn't as they don't own the place. And its design would make doing so difficult. Knocking it down would still seem a shame, but it would cost a fortune to maintain, and bring in no income. Keeping it as an abandoned ruin would be even worse.

This vieo and the storia of san siro is unica,still i dream to assit a milano derby in san siro.

This is a great film showing both sides of the argument. San Siro is an icon of world football. It's one of the rare stadiums that in our lifetimes can host two Champions League Quarter Final legs and four Semi Final legs. It's a relatively modern stadium in terms of aesthetic looks, the stands are right on top of the pitch unlike Stadio Diego Maradona or Olimpico. But it's also costing two of world football's biggest club's money. Tens of millions of profit that they cannot ever receive just because they can't own it or afford to own it. I think an element of what would make everyone happy is to lease it to the two clubs, give them both their own halves of the stadium with each curva being theirs and let them give it a full on renovation like Bernabeu and Camp Nou. Let them lease or rent out food and merchant space outside the stadium or make a concourse that is safe for families away from ultras like Juventus have done. This isn't the first time we've read about how Italian bureaucracy holds back football teams from maximising their money earned. If you love your city's clubs, give them the stadium. Or at the very least let them maximise profits there for a few season and then let them leave with the money to build their own stadium somewhere else. Eventually both will raise the funds and they will go elsewhere, and San Siro like the man says is an empty behemoth wasting city resources with no tenants.

Save the San Siro! Save the history and legacy of this iconic ground, save the soul of this city! If I think of the city of milan I don't think of the Duomo or the Viktor Emanuel Passage, the first thing that comes in my mind is this cathedral of football. It the most impressive and stunning stadium that I ever visited. I'm so pissed of of all the boring, soulless and modern grounds around the world that were build in the last 20 years. Save the icons, starting with this one and save the San Siro!

Milan derby '03 (3-2 in the snow) was the best atmosphere I've ever experienced by a mile

Its saddening to see that the San Siro Stadium getting demolished but I think both of the respective Milan clubs would try to save the stadium or build a new stadium for either of them to be the permanent owners ever,good friends!!!🙏

Recently visited and it was magical

I feel your pain. I’ve spent a number of evenings in San Siro. But once MY Yankee Stadium was torn down…😢

Been there, when I entered I had tears of emotion.

Love this video

2:36 look at how beautiful that ground is

great documentary! normaly documentarys are a bit one sided but you guys got the whole spectrum of it. great video, thanks! very torn to both sides, both clubs need a modern stadium but the history of the stadium is so unique that i can't imagine a world without San Siro. i hope the City and both Clubs find a fair solution which makes everyone happy and i'm sure they will. just don't tare it down please! it may belong to the city and the club may use it.. but in the end, it's the FANS that bring the stadium to live! huge respect 👍🏻

For me, this is THE most beautiful stadium in the world. I support Italy, I am a fan of Lazio, but San Siro is without a doubt #1. I can't image that they would really tear it down. Or that both clubs would leave.

That is the future of Maracanã as well. After the World Cup, the reforms imposed by FIFA made it a very expensive stadium to operate. Flamengo has become a rich club, and is considering building its own stadium. The other team playing there, Fluminense, has a smaller support, and is not able to maintain it by themselves. They will end up moving somewhere else too. Since the real estate of Maracanã is a much valued one in a good neighborhood, combined with the high costs of operation for just a few games, it will most definitely be demolished. I'm a Flamengo fan and I deeply opose the move to a new stadium, but I'm on the minority. Maybe 5% of supporters are with me.

What this video didn't want to highlight is the stadium is literally crumbling away, there are sections have been closed down for security reasons for years. If they don't demolish it sooner or later the stadium will be demolished by crowds jumping up and down

I hope they never tear down the San Siro. It's such an iconic stadium.

If the city owns it, why not just sell it to one or both Milan clubs? Would save having to demolish it or build another.

Same with Camp Nou just imagine the memories, legends who walked in those stadiums gone just like that. Money is destroying football so badly and unfortunately no one will do anything to save it.

We Must Preserve Iconic Land Mark......❤San Siro...

It’s historic and beautiful. But you have to see it in person to realise it needs a lot of work.

People have been saying for 25 years that Serie A clubs need new stadiums.

The San Siro hosted the highest attended match at Italia 90, West Germany v Yugoslavia 👌👌👌

Es espectacular, hermoso, perfecto!

Random observation. Hablo español y yo puedo entenderlos, hablan muy claro. Ahora quiero visitar Milan.

As iconic and beloved the San Siro is, as important to Milan and its history and identity.. It is now too old for such big clubs.. They have to replace it.. My hope would just be that the new stadium will pay hommage to the unique architectural features of the original San Siro 🙏🏻

I feel a compromise could easily be made. Build a new stadium but have its outside architecture emulate the old San Siro. I understand that many fans will miss the old ground but if they do a good job of fusing modernity and history I think it can be great for all parties.

Still looks more beautiful more advanced than many of the premier league stadiums including old Trafford.

Even if the football clubs leave, the stadium should stay on as a major concert venue.

I'm planning to go to a match there in May, looking forward to it. They shouldn't tear it down they should do what Real Sociedad did with the Anoeta and repair and modernize it.

Build that missing 4th ring on the third and renovate it. 100k people like camp nou would be epic.

It’s a crumbling mess and badly in need of severe renovations or the complete rebuild. I’ve been there 2019/20 season for Inter Vs Parma and last September for Italy Vs England in nations league. Iconic it may be but overall has been left to rot for years.

When I watched the same video about Italian football stadiums made by Alfie Potts (HITC Sevens), there were some problems about Italian football recently: 1.The legacy of all Italian football stadiums weren't the same as what happened for other big countries after hosting such a big events. Germany's 2006 World Cup modern stadiums were never changed such as Allianz Arena (Bayern Munich), Veltins Arena (Schalke), and even Zentralstadion (RB Leipzig). Germany was even hosted the upcoming Euro 2024 with the reused World Cup venues. Meanwhile, Italy lost 2 1990 World Cup stadiums after a long term period (Delle Alpi in Turin and Sant'Elia in Cagliari) due to the technical problems. On the other hand, England are also seeking for the new Everton stadium to replace Goodison Park by 2024 for Euro 2028 bid to be hosted in UK and Ireland. 2.Italian clubs performed poorly in European stages, with Inter Milan being the last one for the case of Champions League in 2010 and no Europa League titles for Italy. This year saw 6 Italian sides still alive in the quarterfinals, a half of them (Napoli, Milan, and Inter) being in the Champions League, the first time since 2005/06. In Europa League, there is Juventus and Roma, and the draw also guaranteed an all-Italian Final if they overcame the oppositions in quarterfinals and semifinals. In Champions League, if Inter managed to beat Benfica, Italy will even granted one spot to the Final.

New stadium at San Donato, 47km away, good transport links to be provided , but, ouch.

08:24 can we trust the quote of Boiani? Looks very weirdly cut. Could we get full question, answer? 😀

the name of the Stadium is Giusppe Meazza and not San Siro (which is only the name of the neighborhood where the stadium is located)

San Siro was built in the 1920s, renewed in the 60s and then again in 1989/90. It’s old and at a breaking point. And as a person who lived in Milan and used to going to every match of A.C. Milan, I can say without doubt that it needs to be demolished to the ground and built again from scratch.

San Siro is iconic. A true beauty.

É uma pena. Deveria ser reformado e modernizado como o Camp Nou vai ser, o San Siro é um estádio emblemático no cenário europeu e merece mais respeito.

As a Die Hard football fan,ive been in all major football stadiums in Europe. And the San Siro is a Magnificent Beautiful stadium. But what i dont understand how a country where Football is so Huge and 80% of the stadiums are so old and poorly maintained.

Must be a way of improving and repairing it like the new camp !!

If they're going to tear it down, they need to make sure that they replace it with something that serves the community like a huge football park for everyone to play in with proper goals, also perhaps an area where people can watch football together as a community. At least this way it can serve as a monument to the San Siro and keep the footballing spirit alive in Milan.

I hope to travel to Milan and take a picture before it gets torn down

off there for the veroana games in 2 weeks

We need a new stadium to be fair. It’s served it’s purpose.

In general Italy needs a revamp in its footballing infrastructure. When you look at the stadiums at the facilities you don't see a top 5 league.

@dw kick off . Kindly do piece on "HOW I BECAME NICLAS FÜLLKRUG" . I'll appreciate that 🙏🙏

Unfortunately I don't see the san siro existing over the next 10 years🥲 Unfortunately stadiums either need to renovate to keep the stadium safe, demolish the stadium and replace with a new one which they've done at tottenham or relocate the new stadium elsewhere. Unfortunately Italy doesn't have a lot of capital like countries usa, UK or even Australia so public investment into stadiums doesn't really happen unless the stadium will bring in money like Madison square Garden or MCG which those stadiums are used most of the year. Where as san siro is only used for football matches. Like I said sad to see once a great football stadium go to rumble but buildings don't last forever 🥲

Thank you for this video I now need to visit it just once beofre it is demolished

Without watching the video (and guess at the problems), I recall growing up all the issues the pitch had due to the stands not allowing enough sun in. If they tear it down, why not rebuild it in the same architecture but with 21st century upgrades?

Yes pls

Gutted I never got to go to it 😔

I felt the same when they destroyed Wembley - now, all these years later, I realise it wasn't as big a deal as I thought. Yes I get it as to why they don't want to lose this stadium but when they are watching their teams in a new stadium they'll soon get used to it.

Best solution for them is to buy of the city i wouldnt pull it down as like im sure many others have on here as its still an amazing stadium but renovate it like other teams have i.e madrid marsille have and barca and chelsea are planning to do the new madrid stadium is going look amazing same as the plans barca have for the camp nou so it can be done weather the owners want tht well tht is an entirely differant factor all together but with 2 clubs sharing the costs it would be the cheeper of the options

One of the sad things you see that most town are missing their identity. Cities are becoming undifferentiated, same stores, same restaurants, no local history and wonder. A stadium is part of the community. Imagine if they destroyed the Coliseum or the Parthenon in the 2nd century? What would we have now?

Happy to have been there in april 2023

I hope they can find a way to upgrade it rather than knock it down, it's a beautiful historic stadium that should be saved somehow. I hope to visit some day

why cant it be retained and given to one of the Milan clubs then make la cathedral and give to the other club

San Siro, Champions League anthem, and light drizzle... Nothing beats that. One of the coolest stadiums ever. Renovation is needed surely, but I don't want to see it turned into a soulless bowl of nothing like the Spurs stadium.

Forgive me for bringing an American football idea to an association football video, but AC Milan could look at Arrowhead Stadium or Lambeau Field to see how an aging stadium could be renovated and avoided the wrecking ball or the demolition button.

We're having the same problem in my city, which is seeing the Mineirão empty of matches, even though Cruzeiro's supporters had an average 45k people per match last year. It's all about who gets to manage and profit from it. Honestly, I'm quite worried by the destruction of these massive football temples.

What about santiago bernabao

Long story short: the stadium is nice but it's owned by the city, not the clubs, therefore being economically unreasonable for them. The clubs want to either own the stadium or make their own, the city wants to use the clubs for their own income. I say tear down that stadium, or privatize it to the clubs under promise of conservating the external architecture. Behind every "public romanticism" it's a state employee wanting to profit from someone elses work. It's the mentality of failures.