Only four years have passed since the victory of the national team of Germany in Brazil, which brought down a “norm” of the World Cup history. In that way, Germans became the first ever European national team that wins the trophy when the competition takes place in Latin America. The distance remains a merciless foe for all the competitors of the title, even for the greatest national teams of all time.

Undoubtedly, playing away from home always adds an extra difficulty in team sports. The home advantage is commonly accepted across fans and athletes. Terms for expressing the importance of the home crowd in an exhibition, such as the 12th man (Football) or the 6th man (Basketball), are widely known. But can the same be anticipated for individual sports, too? Do the home fans hold a major role in the performance of an athlete?