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?

Six days left before the start of the World Cup 2018, where the hosts, Russia, face Saudi Arabia in the 1st match of Group A. At this point, it would be interesting to analyze the impact of some environmental factors on the performance of the countries participating in the biggest sports event in the world. Every detail is significant at this stage of the tournament.