# Estadio General San Martín

The Estadio General San Martín was a stadium located in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. Owned by Liga Marplatense de Fútbol (the local football league), it was inaugurated in 1952 being the main venue in the city. Most of the most important matches of Mar del Plata football league were hosted there, as well as some friendly matches of the Argentina national football team. Brazilian team Santos FC (with his superstar Pelé) played four matches at the stadium.
When Estadio José María Minella was inaugurated for the 1978 FIFA World Cup it consolidated as the main venue in Mar del Plata while General San Martín was losing importance. The stadium finally closed its doors and was demolished in 1996. A supermarket chain was built on the land previously occupied by Estadio San Martín.

## History

Inaugurated on May 4, 1952 with a tournament between local teams plus Independiente, the stadium was built with mostly wooden grandstands. Later, all the wood structures would be replaced by concrete stands.
During its existence, the stadium hosted the most important matches of the local League, the first editions of Torneos de Verano (summer tournaments organized in the city since 1968). The stadium was also host for the home matches by local clubs Aldosivi, Alvarado, San Lorenzo, Kimberley, and Círculo Deportivo de Otamendi in the old National Championships and their qualifying tournaments.
In its four decades of life, General San Martín received the most important Argentine and foreign clubs and even the Argentina national team. The stadium hosted the first Italian team to visit Mar del Plata, Cagliari, which beat 3–1 a local combined in 1966. One year later, Brazilian team Santos with superstar Pelé played at General San Martín a friendly match vs a local combined, won by Santos 4–0. Four days later Santos beat River Plate by the same score. The match had a record attendance. The third match played by Pelé was the Intercontinental Champions' Supercup, a competition contested by the past winners of the Intercontinental Cup, vs Argentine side Racing, which won 2–1.
In 1970 Santos and Pelé returned to Mar del Plata to play a friendly vs Boca Juniors. The match, ended 2–2, set a new record with $14,143,000 in tickets sold. Former F1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio awarded Pelé a placque in recognition for his 1,000 goals scored. That same year, local club Kimberley thrashed Independiente 5–0 in the 1970 Campeonato Nacional.
A plaque located in the old entrance recalls that Diego Armando Maradona scored his first two official goals there, in a match between his team at the time, Argentinos Juniors, and San Lorenzo de Mar del Plata, on 14 November 1976. The Argentina national football team also played some friendly matches at General San Martín Stadium between 1968 and 1977.
After the inauguration of José María Minella Stadium, General San Martín was losing importance, until its owner decided to sell it, being finally demolished in June 1996. A hypermarket and a freight company are currently located on the stadium grounds. The old entrance remains standing, with the traditional statues of two players, and a commemorative plaque.

## Notable matches

Note: in the case of the Argentina national team, matches vs club teams are not included.
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Competition |
| 4 Jul 1966 | Mar del Plata | 1–3 | Cagliari | Friendly |
| 15 Jan 1967 | Mar del Plata | 0–4 | Santos | Friendly |
| 19 Jan 1967 | River Plate | 0–4 | Santos | Friendly |
| 17 Dec 1968 | Argentina | 1–0 | Poland | Friendly |
| 22 Dec 1968 | Argentina | 1–1 | Yugoslavia | Friendly |
| 29 Nov 1969 | Racing | 2–1 | Santos | Intercontinental Supercup |
| 16 Jan 1970 | Boca Juniors | 2–2 | Santos | Friendly |
| 1 Nov 1970 | Kimberley | 5–0 | Independiente | 1970 Nacional |
| 13 Jan 1971 | Argentina | 2–0 | France | Friendly |
| 14 Nov 1976 | San Lorenzo (Mdp) | 2–5 | Argentinos Juniors | 1976 Nacional |

### Notes

* ↑ In that match, Diego Maradona scored his two first official goals.