Football stadiums aren't in short supply.  If we look worldwide, every large town in every top footballing nation has somewhere for the cream of its players to perform in front of adoring (let's say) fans.  A place where inhabitants of the town can go and pay to watch players perform and in some cases, people from other areas can travel to see football.  This can explain why a town such as Villareal in Spain, with a population of just 50,000, can justify having a stadium that could fit half that number.  Does half the town go to games?  Most certainly not.  People travel to see the side.

A team that has taken that idea and run with it is TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.  Based in a village of three thousand, they now have a stadium that fits ten times that amount to witness their remarkable climb to the summit of the German Bundesliga.  A beautiful example of modern architecture that is more than just functional.  The stadium is large but not overbearing, surely inspirational and a source of pride in the region.  A look and feel on the inside in keeping with modern traditions whilst looking to the future with its subtle but unmistakeably German lighting on the outside.

In some areas, however, it could be said that locals could fill a stadium many times over.  This is why Club Deportivo Guadalajara - or "Chivas" - of Mexico will be shortly moving to a new modern purpose built stadium which is bizarrely based on a volcano topped with a huge cloud of dust.  This will surely become an enormous place of interest (students, book your gap year now) but primarily the stadium will be able to fit up to 55,000 people.  It's the kind of design that runs the risk of becoming an eyesore but the ambition can only be commended.  We wait to see how it will turn out.

Even when popular demand for football isn't as large, there can be a need.  As long as the funding and justification for a stadium is present then purpose-built stadia can arise.  In Sweden we see a modern, simplistic and classy approach being taken with the new home of IFK Göteborg (as well as GAIS Göteborg and Örgryte IS) emerging in time for Sweden's hosting of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.  It may only contain less than 7,000 people at any one time but it was required.

Ok, so England actually won the game 2-1 and that, if anything, flattered the Germans.  But, whatever the British media will have you believe, the game really didn't matter that much.  It was a friendly between two teams whose players on the night have both bigger fish to fry in club football and more important international battles on the horizon.  Most of these players are too young to remember the 1990 World Cup (one of the only benefits of being old: I do) let alone 1970, 1966 or its melodically referenced companions the "two world wars" so it was an experimental exercise with little edge.

Ok, so if we wanna talk football, it was pretty good from an English point of view (which I occasionally have).  England attacked well, showed good movement off the ball and the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips actually taking players on (successfully!) is a joy to behold.  Even the frankly odious John Terry did the decent thing and admitted he was the culpable party for the German goal and Gabi Agbonlahor made an impressive and loooong overdue debut (I've been demanding this for years.  Thanks for listening, Fabio).  Enjoy it while it lasts, England fans.  Really, Wednesday night you should have played the lottery, rung up Noel Gallagher to see if he needs another touring guitarist and asked out Keeley Hazell.  Things seemed to be going in your favour.

But the bigger victories went to the Germans.  Yep, I'm talking football design (humour me).  1-0 with the kit and with the stadium, a cracker, they made it 2.