- Address: Manizales
- Country: Colombia
- Capacity: 31,000
- Opened:
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Once Caldas (football)
Extra stadium info – Estadio Palogrande
The stadium was one of the eight venues for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 31 July 2011, Spain won the first FIFA U-20 World Cup match at the Estadio Palogrande after beating Costa Rica. Australia, Ecuador and Korea also played at the Estadio Palogrande during the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The last 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup game at the Estadio Palogrande took place on 10 August 2011. 23,000 spectators showed up for the round-of-16 game, which was won by Spain after beating Korea in a penalty shoot-out. Brazil won the tournament after defeating the Portuguese Republic, commonly known as Portugal, in the Colombian city of Bogotá.
Once Caldas
Once Caldas use the Estadio Palogrande for home games. In 2004, they reached the final of the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history after winning a two-legged semi-final against São Paulo Futebol Clube from Brazil. Once Caldas won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history after defeating the Argentine side Boca Juniors, one of the first South American sports clubs with a value of at least $100 million, in a two-legged final in 2004. The first leg took place in the Argentine city of Buenos Aires. The second leg took place at the Estadio Palogrande.
Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina
The former Colombian midfielder Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina scored the first goal for Once Caldas in a Copa Libertadores final. He played for several Colombian football clubs during his senior football career. Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina also played professional football for Portsmouth FC and Southampton FC from the United Kingdom. He also played professional football for Real Sociedad from Spain. Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina played 34 games for the national football team of Colombia.
The world championship for football clubs
Once Caldas played their first-ever decisive world championship game on 12 December 2004. The match took place in the Japanese city of Yokohama in front of 45,000 spectators. Once Caldas faced the Portuguese side FC Porto in that game. Once Caldas started the match with Antonio de Nigris Guajardo, Diego Alejandro Arango Montoya, Elkin Soto Jaramillo, Jhon Edwin García Jiménez, Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina, Jonathan Fabbro, Juan Carlos Henao Valencia, Miguel Alberto Rojas Lasso, Roller Cambindo Ibarra, Rubén Darío Velázquez Bermúdez and Samuel Antonio Vanegas Luna. Jonathan Fabbro reiceved a prison sentence in 2019 for abuse. In 2004, FC Porto were crowned world champions in football after beating Once Caldas.
