"The new Bernabeu will be the best stadium in the world," announced Florentino Perez, president of the Madrid club, the day that finally saw the light of a project that had been years in the making. "This great project will become a key piece of the future Real Madrid and for the city of Madrid."

With a budget of 525 million, the works of the Santiago Bernabeu will transform it into a multifunctional stadium, with retractable turf that will allow the use of the venue for massive cultural events. It will be one of the great novelties along with its enveloping skin and the long-awaited roof.

The history of the Madrid coliseum began on December 14, 1947. It was the day that Real Madrid inaugurated its new stadium with a match against the Portuguese Os Belenenses under the name of Real Madrid CF Stadium. For Madrid fans, it was still known as Chamartin. The friendly ended with a 3-1 victory for the Whites and with the Basque forward Sabino Barinaga going down in history as the first scorer in the new field.

Its first major renovation began in 1952 with the aim of reaching a capacity of 125,000 spectators. This new capacity was inaugurated in June 1954. A year later, the compromisarios members of Real Madrid decided to change the name of the stadium, which became Santiago Bernabeu in honor of its then president, who was in office for the longest time and who marked the club's growth for eternity.

On May 18, 1957, the Madrid stadium inaugurated its electric lighting and was able to play its first night match. The stadium became a sanctuary where Real Madrid achieved great victories and fueled historic European comebacks after another renovation. To host the 1982 World Cup, its capacity was reduced to 98,776 seats, 67,000 standing, the lighting power was increased, new scoreboards were installed, and a roof was installed that covered most of the stands.

The capacity of the Bernabeu has been modified over time with its modifications. In the 1990s, it gained 20,200 seated seats with the creation of the third amphitheater ring, on the west side and the stands, to accommodate 106,000 spectators in Real Madrid matches. The four towers that have characterized the stadium on Castellana Street in recent decades appeared, increasing its height from 22 to 45 meters.

Its capacity was affected on its 50th anniversary. In 1997, the new UEFA regulations requiring the entire stadium to have seating reduced the capacity from 106,000 spectators to 74,328. The field fences disappeared. And with the arrival of Florentino Perez to the presidency, the exploitation of income from the stadium was enhanced. The quality improvements were permanent, and the capacity exceeded 80,000 seats by completing the fourth amphitheater ring.

Inside the stadium, it underwent a complete transformation. New locker rooms and benches, a new box, integrated heating system in the stands, new public address and scoreboards system, panoramic elevators, and escalators in the four access towers. The stadium was recognized by UEFA as "five stars," and now it reaches its 73rd birthday.

A reference point in world football and towards a new identity. Growing another 12 meters to install a retractable articulated roof that will close the stadium in 15 minutes, a total redesign of the stands, a 360-degree LED scoreboard, an extension of the museum, and a futuristic exterior appearance with stainless steel skin. The football pause due to the coronavirus pandemic and its return behind closed doors accelerated the construction plan. Its completion may be brought forward to early 2022, the date on which an architectural marvel that will become one of the great attractions of the capital of Spain will be finished.