• Estadio Hernando Siles is Bolivia’s national football stadium

• The arena stands more than 3000 meters above sea level in La Paz

• The stadium was inaugurated in 1930

Akshat Mehrish Situated some 3000 meters above sea level, embraced warmly by the basin left behind by the Choqueyapu river, is Bolivia’s first city — its capital, its hub — La Paz. It is nestled by the peaks of the Altiplano range, of which the snow tops of the mountain Illimani peer down directly over the city like a protective guardian. La Paz sits on top of the world; it is the highest capital city on the planet. Based in La Paz’s district of Miraflores, surrounded by the symbols of Bolivia’s urban revolution is Estadio Hernando Siles, the football stadium used by the country’s various national teams in addition to at least half a dozen top-flight and several lower league clubs, including Bolivar and The Strongest, the two best teams in the nation. Hernando Siles is among the highest-located arenas in the world; it is technically the most elevated national football stadium globally.

The stadium, which seats slightly more than 41 thousand fans, has stood its ground for nearly a century. Named after Hernando Siles, the charismatic former leader of Bolivia, who served as the 31st President of the country from 1926 until 1930, the arena is an emblem of his short reign — a symbol of the bygone era. With a single look at its Colosseum-esque facade, which has retained its original form over decades of revolution, change, growth, and glory, one can easily envision the history that has passed through the site. Except for renovations briefly in 1977, it has remained untouched. Estadio Hernando Siles opened its doors to the Bolivian populace in 1930, the final year of its namesake’s presidency. Two local clubs competed for the milestone accomplishment of recording the first success on its grounds, with The Strongest eventually reigning supreme over Universitario, 4-1. In the years that followed, the sacred grounds of the Hernando Siles were witness to some of Bolivia’s finest footballing hours; moments, which, for better or for worse, have helped imbue the team with its continental and international identity. Moments, such as Bolivia’s monumental win over behemoths Brazil in the prelude to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. On July 25, 1993, the giants of South America bettered the altitude to reach La Paz for a qualifying game. Brazil, up until then, hadn’t lost a single qualifier in 40 years. That streak, remarkably, was broken by Bolivia on that fateful day, inside the four walls of the Estadio Hernando Siles, with Marco Etcheverry and Alvaro Pena scoring for the hosts in the 88th and the 89th minute. A month later, Bolivia recorded the biggest win in its history, thrashing Venezuela 7-0 en route to a third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Not all of it has been enjoyable, though. In 1997, with Bolivia acting as hosts, the team reached the final of the South American Championship, the Copa America, for only the second time in their history. On this occasion, the joy of the Bolivian faithful, who had waited 34 years for their team to reach a similar stature, was sucked out as Brazil scored two late goals through Ronaldo and Ze Roberto and won the title. That day, Estadio Hernando Siles sheltered the broken dreams of thousands upon thousands of its faithful.

More often than not, however, it is the visitors who leave the site in devastation and despair. Bolivia, on their infamous ground, has conquered opponents regardless of their status: a lesson learned by Argentina on their visit to La Paz in 2009. On April 1, Bolivia and Argentina met in the build-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. By far the stronger side on paper, and throughout history, Argentina succumbed to a historic 6-1 loss, their worst in history. The visitors claimed, as many who preceded them had, difficulties in adjusting to the altitude as a key reason for their failures. But, neither Bolivia nor those inside Estadio Hernando Siles cared. They had defeated the giants, and the possibilities which lay beyond seemed endless.