Estádio Alfredo Jaconi

Construction ran from 1972 to 1975 on the plot of the previous ground. The inaugural match was played on 3 March 1975, when Juventude drew 0–0 with Flamengo. The stadium was named after Alfredo Jaconi (1910–1952), a towering figure in the club's early history.

The 1999 Copa do Brasil triumph

The ground's proudest chapter is the 1999 Copa do Brasil title. On 21 June 1999, the first leg of the final was staged here, with Juventude beating Botafogo 2–1. After a draw in the return leg, the club from Caxias do Sul lifted the greatest trophy in its history and earned a place in the Copa Libertadores.

• First Libertadores match: 16 February 2000
• Attendance record: 27,740 (27 November 2002, Grêmio vs Juventude)

The cup win bound Jaconi forever to the club's golden era and turned the stadium into a symbol of civic pride across the wider Serra Gaúcha region.

The atmosphere at Jaconi ranks among the most intense in southern Brazil. Steep stands pull spectators tight to the pitch, and the roar of the Verdão da Serra support presses down on visiting teams from the opening whistle. On matchday, the city of Caxias do Sul fills with green and white.

A fortress in the hills

The compact dimensions amplify every chant from the home torcida. The local crowd is known for its loyalty even through difficult seasons, and clashes against the Porto Alegre giants Grêmio and Internacional are among the fiercest fixtures of the year.

• Home club: Esporte Clube Juventude
• Colours: green and white
• Atmosphere peaks: Série A matches and Gaúcho derbies

The cooler highland climate of the Serra Gaúcha lends evening games a distinctive edge, and the breath of the crowd rising under the floodlights completes a vision of Brazilian football you will not find elsewhere.

Estádio Alfredo Jaconi sits within the city of Caxias do Sul, the second-largest city in Rio Grande do Sul and the capital of the Serra Gaúcha wine region. The ground is easily reached from the city centre and from the main approach roads.

Getting there

• From Porto Alegre: about 130 km via the BR-116 highway, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by car
• Local transport: city buses or taxi from central Caxias do Sul
• Airports: Hugo Cantergiani in Caxias do Sul; international flights via Porto Alegre (Salgado Filho)

A matchday is best combined with wine tourism in the surrounding area — the celebrated Vale dos Vinhedos and the towns of Bento Gonçalves and Garibaldi lie just beyond Caxias do Sul. Arrive early to sample the local Italian-Brazilian cuisine and soak up the atmosphere of this proud highland city before kick-off.