Patrick Vieira Named ‘Special’ English Stadium With Best Atmosphere he Played in

Patrick Vieira’s 405-game stint at Arsenal, spanning between the years of 1996 and 2005, is exactly what dreams are made of, playing in front of thousands at brilliant grounds across the world – but what’s the best stadium in the Frenchman’s eyes?

Native to France, the decorated midfielder started out at Cannes as a fresh-faced youngster hoping to impress before Serie A juggernauts AC Milan were knocking on his door. He spent around ten months on the red side of the Italian capital before his next step.

Then came Arsenal. Vieira, who is now in charge of Genoa, won a trio of Premier League titles in north London between 1997/98 and 2003/04 while also adding a plethora of other silverware – including four FA Cup titles – to his repertoire.

One of the most feared engine room patrollers in Premier League history, Patrick Vieira was as tough as he was technical, hence why he is commonly regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in football history, rubbing shoulders with Kaka and Ruud Gullit.

He finished his career in England with Manchester City after spending five years in Italy’s top division with Juventus and Inter Milan. Internationally, too, he enjoyed success in the form of the 1998 World Cup in his home country.

From Old Trafford with Arsenal to the San Siro with Juventus to Wembley with France, Vieira had the pleasure of playing in the world’s greatest venues – but one stands tall above the rest; and he cited its atmosphere, experience and the fan-player connection.

On the evening of the Champions League final, TNT Sports managed to speak with Vieira, and he named Anfield, widely viewed as one of the greatest stadiums in Premier League history, as having the best atmosphere he ever experienced.

Liverpool is one of the best. I think AC Milan, Inter, San Siro is a very special stadium. But Liverpool, for me, is the best atmosphere that I ever experienced in my life. It’s a communion between the players and the fans.

“When they start to sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and they make it really special for the players, it creates a bubble, it creates a togetherness between fans and players. I think that gives extra motivation to the players to give even more. That creates something really special for Liverpool Football Club.”

Elsewhere, per Mail Online, the vastly experienced Vieira recalled his trips to Liverpool’s 61,276-seater and mentioned how it was the loudest ground he visited. “Football has so many iconic sounds that create a unique atmosphere, which cannot be replicated anywhere else.

He continued: “When visiting a rival stadium and hearing our fans chanting with such passion was magical, that feeling stays with me. I think the loudest atmosphere I have experienced was at Anfield, the sounds and passion coming from the fans is unbelievable to experience.”