How many times have you seen a rookie get rattled under big-time pressure away from the comforts of home?
Far too often, right?
In fairness, you'd be shaking too if you had 70,000 hostile fans breathing down your neck.
Don't forget—they call it home-field advantage for a reason.
In every sport, environment matters. For proof, one need look no further than the 10 most inhospitable venues in the world...
10) Yankee Stadium (New York, New York)
* Baseball
* Home of the New York Yankees
"The House That Ruth Built" is one of the most iconic stadiums in all of sports. While opposing teams get their share of brutality, the Yankees themselves aren't exactly immune to the boos.
In New York, anything short of a championship can be cause for a shakeup. Just ask the recently departed Joe Torre.
9) Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
* American Football
* Home to the Green Bay Packers
While Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City comes close, no NFL venue can top the history and atmosphere at Lambeau.
The Packers' tradition makes them intimidating enough. Add in rabid cheeseheads and horrific weather conditions, and opposing teams face a recipe for disaster on the Frozen Tundra.
8) Ibrox Stadium (Glasgow, Scotland)
* European Football
* Home to Glasgow Rangers
If you missed it, last Thursday’s UEFA Champions League match between Glasgow Rangers and Barcelona was absolutely electric.
Rangers fans were out in full force, and willed their team to a much-deserved draw against the Spanish giants.
The crowd gets even more raucous when Rangers and Celtic hook up in the Old Firm Derby—arguably Britain’s fiercest rivalry. The Ibrox faithful always give the boys in green stripes problems when they come for a visit.
7) Maksimir Stadium (Zagreb, Croatia)
* European Football
* Home to Dinamo Zagreb, Croatian National Football Team
It doesn't take long to recognize the hostility of the environment at Maksimir.
Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian National Football team have a huge advantage over their opponents at home. England's Steve McClaren isn't the first manager to learn that the hard way in Croatia’s capital.
Things only get worse when Zagreb plays host to Croatia’s top derby, between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. Violence and hooliganism are always issues whenever these two bitter enemies meet.
6) Centenario Stadium (Montevideo, Uruguay)
* European Football
* Home to Penarol, Nacional and the Uruguay National Football Team
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