Relentlessly ambitious and commercialized professional clubs recruit thousands of boys into intensive, four‑times‑a‑week training from the age of eight. Their development is of great importance for the clubs as well as their stakeholders. But why is this happening? Is it economically viable to invest in the training of young home-grown athletes, while time is pressing for good results?

When the question about the best football player of our days is set to the average fan, all the thoughts are running around the same, standard names. The Messi or Ronaldo dipole is very rarely interrupted by the name of Neymar Jr. and no other serious competitors remain for the title of the greatest. Although many talents, such as Kylian Mbappé, are popping up lately, the truth is that many important players, who could claim that title, have appeared over the last 2-3 years. One of these is named Eden Hazard.