Everyone knows the roar of a supportive crowd provides a distinct advantage, but just how much does it really help?
ABC News analysed the goals scored by each country which has hosted the World Cup. It turns out, countries kick 0.4 more goals per game on average when they're the host, than when they're not the host.
Could that translate into a win for Putin? Out of 20 World Cups, the host has only won six, or 30 per cent. The last time that occurred was in 1998 when hosts France beat Brazil.
What should I read next?
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- FIFA World Cup: Think you know your nicknames? Test your football monikers know-how in our quiz
Want more charts?
This is part of a new daily series featuring charts which tell a story. If you know of some data that fits the bill, we'd love to hear about it.
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