Wembley Stadium is the second-largest soccer stadium in Europe, home to the English national team and visible from far away because of its 133 meters high arc. It can host up to 90000 spectators and was opened in 2007 on the grounds of the former stadium (with its iconic twin towers) built in 1923. For soccer fans this is holy ground – not only because of the final of the world championship held here in 1966.
Jules Rimet still gleaming
This final was won by England against Germany – with the most famous and most discussed goal ever. If you go to the soccer museum in Dortmund, Germany you can replay and analyze it from all angles. In minute 101 Geoff Hurst ‘scored’ the crucial 3:2 for England – but today we know that the ball never fully passed the line. It was the only time England won the world championship so far. Captain of the team was Bobby Moore and you can still today see a statue of him in front of the stadium.
‘So many jokes, so many sneers
– Three Lions, The Lightning Seeds (David Baddiel, Frank Skinner)
But all those oh-so-nears
Wear you down
Through the years
But I still see that tackle by Moore
And when Lineker scored,
Bobby belting the ball
And Nobby dancing’
Inside the stadium
On September 10th, 2024, I returned to Wembley for the Nations League match of England against Finland. In the first half the audience had to entertain themselves by folding and throwing paper aeroplanes, in the second half Harry Kane scored twice for a 2:0 victory. Wembley is a truly amazing arena but the home fans didn’t really create a special atmosphere.
Later in 2024 I returned for a two-day long business meeting in some of the boxes of the stadium. An interesting chance to see the atmosphere inside the empty stadium at all times of the day; most impressive was the dark stadium just illuminated by the grass lights. At Wembley you can also take a stadium tour which leads you down to the dressing rooms and close to the pitch – a great experience.
Wembley stadium
London HA9 0WS
England
United Kingdom
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