Estadio Marcelo Bielsa

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Marcelo Bielsa Stadium
Estadio Marcelo Bielsa
Coloso del Parque
Escudo del Club Atletico Newell's Old Boys de Rosario.svg
Estadio Marcelo Bielsa.jpg
Inside the stadium
Estadio Marcelo Bielsa
AddressAv. Int. Morcillo 2501
Rosario
Argentina
Owner Newell's Old Boys
Capacity 42,000 [1]
Field size105 x 70 m
Surface Grass
Construction
Opened23 July 1911;114 years ago (23 July 1911)
Expanded1918, 1925, 1929, [2] 1979, 1996–1997, 2009 [3]

Estadio Marcelo A. Bielsa is a stadium located within Parque de la Independencia in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Inaugurated in 1911, it is the home ground of club Newell's Old Boys. The venue did not have any official name until December 22, 2009, when it was named after the former coach of the club Marcelo Bielsa. Until then it was simply called El Coloso del Parque ("The Colossus of the Park"), and this remained as the stadium's popular name. Although the stadium is currently used mostly for football matches, it has hosted some rugby union games sometimes, albeit rarely.

Contents

Since its opening in 1911, the stadium has been refurbished and expanded several times since. It currently has a capacity of 42,000. [4]

History

Previous fields

The first pitch or "field" as it was called at that time was located between the streets Boulevard Humberto First and Avellaneda, in the northwest of the city of Rosario, in the neighborhood of the workshops. The same was achieved through management by Claudio Newell (son of Isaac Newell, founder of the club), and was opened in 1905. It was the scene of the beginning of the meetings at that time the Football League Rosarina. The same had few amenities: had only a small box lumber modest. Due to this and the growth of the club, he found a new space for the field.

In 1907, thanks to the efforts of the then Mayor of Rosario, Nicasio Vila, who ceded some land, the field moved to the block between Avenue United Provinces streets, San Luis and La Rioja, in the neighborhood Vila, in the west corner of the city.

Parque de la Independencia

The stadium during its first years Estadio newells antigua.jpg
The stadium during its first years

On July 23, 1911, Newell's Old Boys opened their new stadium in the Parque de la Independencia in the heart of Rosario. The stadium's design was in line with English stadiums of the time. [2]

The original stadium was a wooden stand, and has in the years since had multiple additions to bring it to its current form. On July 9, 1918, the stadium debuted its first expansion, an iron and wooden stand for 3,000 spectators, bringing total capacity to 10,000. In 1925, the club built the north end stands. On May 26, 1929, the stadium's western stand opened, which was the first made of cement, and covered with a roof.

Fltr: Gral. Jose Uriburu, Lisandro de la Torre, and Leopoldo Lugones attending a match at the stadium in 1931 Gral.uriburu delatorre lugones newells.jpg
Fltr: Gral. José Uriburu, Lisandro de la Torre, and Leopoldo Lugones attending a match at the stadium in 1931

By 1930, Newell's had a stadium that could seat 30,000 spectators. Between 1971 and 1973, the stadium was completed with cement stands, and various other improvements and expansions. [2]

In the 1990s, the club completed two new stands that elevated the stadium's capacity to 40,000, which took the nickname of "El Coloso del Parque" (The Colossus of the Park). The south stand was later named after superstar Diego Maradona, who had a brief tenure on Newell's as player in September 1993. [5]

Since December 2008, the stadium has undergone continuous changes. At the end of 2009, the club decided to name the stadium after Marcelo Bielsa, and the Western concourse after Gerardo Martino, both former players and managers that had been relegated from the club during the presidency of Eduardo José López (1994–2008). [6] [7]

Coinciding with his 40th birthday, a stand was named after club captain Maxi Rodríguez in January 2021. [8] [9]

In 2024, the Newell's Old Boys drew an average home attendance of 41,708. In 2025, in honor of the 38th birthday of Lionel Messi, Newell's named one of the stands with the name of the number 10 player which was a former player and is a supporter. [10]

Events

2001 FIFA U20 World Cup

The first international football tournament at Marcelo Bielsa Stadium was in 2001 when the stadium was chosen as one of the venues for the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Argentina. The stadium hosted all matches of Group D plus the round of 16 and quarter finals (one game each). [11]

DateRoundTeam 1ScoreTeam 2
18 JunGroup DFlag of Angola.svg  Angola
0–0
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
18 JunGroup DFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
0–2
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
21 JunGroup DFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
0–3
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
21 JunGroup DFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
1–2
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola
24 JunGroup DFlag of Angola.svg  Angola
1–1
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
24 JunGroup DFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
0–3
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
28 JunRound of 16Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
2–0
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola
1 JulQuarter finalsFlag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
2–1
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands

Rugby U20 World Cup

On the other side, the stadium also hosted rugby union games when in 2010 it was one of the three venues of the World Rugby U-20 Championship. All the pool C matches, the semifinals and final were played at Newell's Old Boys Stadium. [12]

DateRoundTeam 1ScoreTeam 2
5 JunPool BFlag of France.svg  France
25–22
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland
5 JunPool BFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
22–48
Flag of England.svg  England
9 JunPool BFlag of England.svg  England
36–21
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland
9 JunPool BFlag of France.svg  France
25–22
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland
13 JunPool BFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
23–31
Flag of France.svg  France
13 JunPool BIRFU flag.svg  Ireland
21–24
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
17 JunSemifinalsFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
28–16
Flag of England.svg  England
17 JunSemifinalsIRFU flag.svg  Ireland
36–7
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
21 Jun3rd. placeFlag of England.svg  England
22–27
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
21 JunFinalFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
17–62
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand

Other events

Estadio Marcelo Bielsa also hosted political party acts, when in 2005 then president of Argentina, Néstor Kirchner, gave a speech as part of the Front for Victory campaign for the legislative election in the country. [13]

References

  1. "Coloso nuevo: Newell's anunció cuánto crecerá la capacidad del estadio Marcelo Bielsa | Vía Rosario". 13 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Estadio at NOB site
  3. "Estadio Marcelo Alberto Bielsa". Soccerway . Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. "Coloso nuevo: Newell's anunció cuánto crecerá la capacidad del estadio Marcelo Bielsa | Vía Rosario". 13 December 2023.
  5. Diego Maradona y la revolución rosarina: a 29 años de su presentación en Newell's at TyC, 15 Sep 2022
  6. MARTINO Y BIELSA, IGUALES PERO DIFERENTES, El Gráfico, 22 Jul 2013
  7. Histórico: López perdió la presidencia de Newell's on Infobae, 14 Dec 2008
  8. Newell's le regaló una tribuna a Maxi on Olé, 2 Jan 2021
  9. "Maxi" Rodríguez cumple 40 años y Newells's le regaló una tribuna, 2 Jan 2021 at La Voz
  10. at ESPN, 25 Jun 2025
  11. World Youth Cup (U-20) 2001 (Argentina, June 17-July 8) by Karel Stokkermans at the RSSSF
  12. IRB Junior World Championship 2010 (in Spanish) at World Rugby
  13. Ultimo empujón del pingüino by Alicia Simeoni on Página/12,
Preceded by
various venues in
Nigeria
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Venue

2001
Succeeded by
various venues in
United Arab Emirates
Preceded by
various venues in
Japan
World Rugby U-20
Venue

2010
Succeeded by
various venues in
Italy

32°57′21.8″S60°39′41.2″W / 32.956056°S 60.661444°W / -32.956056; -60.661444