Old Estádio da Luz marks special date ahead of Benfica v Sporting derby | OneFootball

The old Estádio da Luz celebrates 71 years since its inauguration. It was precisely on December 1, 1954, that the old red Cathedral opened its doors for the first time, fulfilling, 50 years later, the dream envisioned by Cosme Damião, founder of Benfica.

The inauguration of the old Estádio da Luz also put an end to the nomadic journey that Benfica had undertaken since its founding date, February 28, 1904. Until that important day in 1954, the Eagles, over the decades, were “forced” to play in borrowed venues, but none of them truly felt like home for the Club.

In 1946, after the famous phrase “Benfica belongs to Benfica and must return there,” uttered by the Minister of Public Works, the search began for the ideal space to house the new stadium’s infrastructure. However, it was only in 1949 that the land located between Estrada de Benfica, Rua dos Soeiros, and Azinhaga da Fonte became available, thanks to the Lisbon City Council.

The financing of Benfica’s first real “home” counted on the active participation of all the Club’s supporters — from Portugal, the colonies, and even abroad — who contributed to making Cosme Damião’s dream come true. The money came from various donations, auctions, shows, and even the voluntary increase of membership fees.

Reaching a staggering capacity of 120,000 seats, the old Estádio da Luz was considered the largest sports venue in Europe for decades. At the turn of the millennium, the need for a new “home” arose, bringing an end to the existence of this old Cathedral, which was demolished on March 22, 2003. Although it no longer exists, it will never be forgotten by Benfica.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.