CT Vila Ventura

The ground in Viamão.

It is not a stadium. What the aerial view shows is two pitches laid on natural Bermuda grass, with automated irrigation running beneath the surface. The complex opened in 2000 and was later designated an official FIFA Training Centre. Teams arrive here to work: the Ecuador national squad under Reinaldo Rueda arrived in June 2014; the Brazil national team turned up in March 2016; Brazilian clubs such as Internacional, Grêmio, Santos, São Paulo, Santa Cruz and Juventude have come for concentration.

The pitch itself is the only reason anyone drives out to Viamão. The facility does not host a single match; it hosts preparation.