André-Pierre Gignac at Estadio BBVA, the Steel Giant he so often silenced | OneFootball

André-Pierre Gignac made a rare appearance in the presidential box at Estadio BBVA on 14 June for a World Cup game. It is where the Tigres UANL icon has spent a decade tormenting Monterrey.

According to L'Équipe, he attended on the invitation of Samuel García, 38, governor of Nuevo León, to watch Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1. He said he would never have come to watch Monterrey, then mischievously called the place home.

Opened in August 2015 with the Eusébio Cup against Benfica, a 3-0 win, the BBVA holds 51,243 for this World Cup and hosts four matches, including Netherlands v Morocco in the round of 32 at three am on Tuesday. It is the first football stadium in Central and North America with LEED certification thanks to its green spaces and water management.

Nicknamed El Gigante de acero for its steel shell, its asymmetrical design frames the Cerro de la Silla and the pitch. The atmosphere is among the hottest in Mexico, yet Gignac has often cooled it.

The first Clásico Regio there proved decisive, the Apertura 2017 Liga MX final. After a 1-1 first leg, Tigres won the return 2-1 to lift the title on Rayados’ turf, a searing memory for a generation of home fans.

The former France striker, 40, with 36 caps and seven goals between 2009 and 2016, has since dominated the derby. Having matched Rayados great Mario de Souza Bahia’s 11 in September 2023, he now leads with 15 in 33, six of them at the BBVA.

Right foot, headers, a back-heel Madjer or an acrobatic volley, he has scored them all. Even some Rayados supporters have quietly asked for selfies, respect earned despite rivalry.

Source: L'Équipe