A day Celtic supporters old and young continually recall, even now, is the 25th of May 1967. Said date saw the club win the biggest prize of all, the European Cup.
A 2-1 win over Internazionale and the legend of the Lions of Lisbon is spoken of every day. That famous day in the searing Portuguese sun is etched in the history books; it will never be forgotten as long as Celtic are existent.
Goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers helped the Hoops win football’s biggest prize and although the memory of ’67 lives on, the site of the iconic win is set for a major revamp.
Per Football Scotland, the Estadio Nacional, where Billy McNeil lifted the big cup, is set for redevelopment in plans to modernise it. The ground has remained the same since its inception in 1944, but alterations are imminent.
The Portuguese Football Federation plan to hold one of Portugal’s warm-up games for Euro 2024 at the stadium, but the changes won’t take full effect until after that in 2025. It is said that the redevelopment will cost around £25m.
For Hoops fans worldwide, it will be disappointing to see the site of the most memorable day in the club’s history be altered. Supporters don’t have long left to visit the original ground and before the upgrades are made, many will make the pilgrimage to Lisbon and retrace the footsteps of the best Celtic team of all time.
