| Julio César Villagra Stadium | |
| Native Name: | Estadio Julio César Villagra |
| Native Name Lang: | es |
| Nickname: | El Gigante de Alberdi |
| Logo Image: | Escudo_Oficial_del_Club_Atl%C3%A9tico_Belgrano.png |
| Address: | Arturo Orgaz 510 |
| City: | Córdoba |
| Country: | Argentina |
| Owner: | C.A. Belgrano |
| Capacity: | 30,500 [1] |
| Dimensions: | 108 x 68 m |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Renovated: | 1997 |
| Expanded: | 2016 |
| Cost: | mn$85.000 |
| Tenants: | Belgrano (1929–present) |
Julio César Villagra Stadium, nicknamed El Gigante de Alberdi, is a football stadium located in Barrio Alberdi in Córdoba, Argentina.[2] Inaugurated on 17 March 1929, it is the home ground of Club Atlético Belgrano.[3] and seats 30,500 people.[1] [4]
The stadium was named after Julio César Villagra (1961–1993), one of the greatest players for the club, who played for Belgrano from 1982 to 1993, when he committed suicide.[5] [6]
The idea to build a stadium came in 1927 led by Belgrano member Carlos Courel, who then became club vice president. Belgrano asked the mayor of Córdoba, Emilio Olmos, for financial support to achieve that aim. Most of the work was financed by the Municipality, which lent the club mn$60,000. The total cost was about mn$85,000. The Belgrano executives committed to repay the loan in bimonthly payments of $2,000 each.[7]
Alfredo García Voglio was behind the project, executed by Patiño and Fontaine Silva company. Work began in July 1928 and the stadium (capacity of 10,000 spectators) was inaugurated less than one year later, on 17 March 1929.[8] Until then, the main stadium in Córdoba was inaugurated in 1917, the first pitch in the city which had a capacity for 6.000. The stadium hosted the main friendly matches in Córdoba until it was closed in 1939.[9]
In the first match at the stadium, Belgrano played a friendly match v Estudiantes de La Plata, which defeated them 6–1. That same year, Belgrano celebrated their first title in their new stadium when the club won the Liga Cordobesa after beating Nacional 2–1. The lighting system was inaugurated in December 1945 in a match v Newell's Old Boys.[7]
In May 1997, the stadium was reopened after refurbishment, hosting a match where Belgrano defeated Argentina U20 2–1. That match was a friendly that helped the national team prepare for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.[10]