The principality of Monaco is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And AS Monaco's new performance centre might just be the most picturesque training ground in football.
Located on an old quarry, Monaco's performance centre offers stunning views of the Mediterranean sea. With space at a premium, the centre protrudes from the exposed cliff of the quarry from which stone was used for the Fontvieille district reclamation project. Even the soil removed for the construction of the centre was used as its building material.
Built at an investment of €55 million, the performance centre has a total of three pitches, of which one is Uefa approved. There is a 280-seat stand next to the first team’s training pitch.
Apart from that, the facility has state-of-the-art fitness and medical centre, recovery area, auditorium and more. Also, solar panels have been installed on a 'panoramic terrace' which will help the centre to reduce its dependence on natural gas.
Construction of the centre started in June 2018 and was completed this month. Prince Albert II of Monaco was also present during the unveiling this week.
"The launch of the new performance centre is a very important and historic moment for our club," club president Dmitry Rybolovlev said.
"It was a major project, that was both difficult and ambitious, and which took a long time to complete."
Monaco are currently 10th in Ligue 1 after six games.
Biggest stadiums in the world
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20. The Bukit Jalil National Stadium near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has a seating capacity of 87,411, and is the 20th biggest sports stadium on earth. AFP -
The Bukit Jalil National Stadium near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the 21st South East Asian Games. Allsport -
19. The Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, has a capacity of 87,451. AFP -
The Jordan-Hare Stadium during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the LSU Tigers in Auburn, Alabama. AFP -
18. The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida can host 88,548. Wikimediacommons -
University of Central Florida Golden Knights against the University of Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Getty -
17. The Wembley stadium in London is the epicentre of English football with a capacity of exactly 90,000. Getty -
The Jacksonville Jaguars kick off their NFL match against Houston Texans at the Wembley Stadium in London. Getty -
16. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, has a capacity of 90,888. AFP -
An NCAA match between the Michigan Wolverines and UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. The venue has been deemed a 'National Historic Landmark'. Getty -
15. The Cotton Bowl Stadium at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, USA, has a capacity of 92,100. Wikimediacommons -
The Cotton Bowl in Texas, USA. Wikimediacommons -
14. The Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, USA, can host 92,746. AFP -
The Sanford Stadium during the game between Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Athens, Georgia. AFP -
13. The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, can seat 94,736. Getty -
The Soccer City Stadium, also called the FNB Stadium, during the African Cup of Nations in Johannesburg. Allsport -
12. The Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, is currently the biggest football venue in the world with a capacity of 99,354. Getty -
The Camp Nou ahead of the Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Liverpool in 2019. Getty -
11. The Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia is the second biggest cricket venue in the world, with a capacity of 100,024. Wikimediacommons -
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic venues in the world. Getty -
10. The Darrel K Royal Stadium in Austin, Texas, is the 10th largest stadium in the world with a seating capability of 100,119. Wikimediacommons -
The DKR-TM Stadium in 2011 during the match between Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks. Wikimediacommons -
9. The Bryant–Denny Stadium, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, USA, can seat 101,821. Wikimediacommons -
The Bryant-Denny Stadium during an Alabama football game against the Tennessee Volunteers. Wikimediacommons -
8. The Tiger Stadium, located in Baton Rouge on the campus of Louisiana State University, has a capacity of 102,321. Wikimediacommons -
A night game in Tiger Stadium at the Louisiana State University. Wikimediacommons -
7. The Neyland Stadium at Knoxville, Tennessee, can seat 102,455. Wikimediacommons -
Tennessee Volunteers before the start of their game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is the seventh biggest stadium in the world. Getty -
6. The Kyle Field at College Station, Texas, has a capacity of 102,733. Wikimediacommons -
The Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, during the 2015 season. Wikimediacommons -
5. The Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, USA, has a capacity of 102,780. AFP -
The Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University in Columbus is the fifth largest stadium in the world. Alamy Stock Photo -
4. The Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions, in Pennsylvania, USA. Its capacity is 106,572. Alamy Stock Photo -
The Beaver Stadium during the NCAA college football game between Penn State and Michigan. Shutterstock -
3. Michigan Stadium is the American football stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It is the largest stadium in the United States, the third largest in the world with a capacity of 107,601. Alamy Stock Photo -
Aerial view of the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, USA. AFP -
2. The Sardar Patel Stadium in Gujarat, India, is the world's biggest cricket stadium. The venue in Ahmedabad has a capacity of 110,000 and was inaugurated by US President Donald Trump in February. AFP -
The Sardar Patel Stadium in Gujarat is the second largest stadium in the world. AFP -
1. The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is the largest stadium in the world, with a total capacity of 114,000. Shutterstock -
Performers during the Arirang mass games at the The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea.
