- Address: Avenida Antônio Abrahão Caram, Belo Horizonte
- Country: Brazil
- Capacity: 61,000
- Opened: 5 September 1965
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Cruzeiro (football)
Extra stadium info – Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto
The stadium, nicknamed Mineirão, opened with a football match. 73,000 spectators attended the game. It was one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup venues. On 14 June 2014, Colombia won the first-ever FIFA World Cup match at the stadium. They defeated the Hellenic Republic, commonly known as Greece, 3-0. 57,000 people attended the game. The venue also hosted 2014 FIFA World Cup matches of the national football teams of Algeria, the Argentine Republic, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, England, Germany and Iran.
Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro
The stadium’s record attendance was broken when 132,000 fans showed up for a match which included Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. Atlético Mineiro played numerous home matches at the venue. Cruzeiro use the Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto for home games. Both football clubs are among the first Brazilian sports clubs with 1 million followers on their main social media page. Atlético Mineiro was founded in 1908 and Cruzeiro was founded in 1921. Cruzeiro won the South American championship for football clubs in 1976 for the first time in their history after beating the Argentine side River Plate. Atlético Mineiro won the tournament in 2013 for the first time in their history after defeating Club Olimpia from Paraguay.
The world championship for football clubs
In 1976, Cruzeiro became the second Brazilian football club in a decivise world championship match. Santos FC became the first club in 1962. Cruzeiro faced the German side FC Bayern München in the two-legged world championship tie. The Germans won the first leg 2-0. The second leg, which took place at the Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto, ended in a goalless draw.
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, who is widely regarded as one of the best football players ever, started his professional football career with Cruzeiro. In 1994, he left Cruzeiro for the Dutch side PSV from Eindhoven. Ronaldo also played professional football for FC Barcelona, Internazionale, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Corinthians. In 2002, he scored twice in the FIFA World Cup final between the national football teams of Brazil and Germany. That day, Brazil won their fifth world championship title. In 2021, Ronaldo bought a controlling stake in his former club Cruzeiro.
