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Defector

Billy Haisley

Mary Wilombe of Zambia post game despair after the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Spain and Zambia at Eden Park on July 26, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Soccer

Zambia Learns How Unforgiving The World Cup Can Be


<p>Patrick T. Dorsey is the writer of and a producer on the feature film FUTURE DATE, which had its world premiere at the 2024 Cinequest Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Comedy Feature. You can hear him Thursdays on Defector Trivia, whenever Diana Moskovitz shouts, “Baaaaaaabe!”</p>


Patrick T. Dorsey

Rose Zhang of the United States plays a shot from the 18th tee during the second round of the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club on July 14, 2023 in Sylvania, Ohio.

Golf

Rose Zhang, Golf’s Next Phenom, Is Doing Her Own Thing

Lauren Theisen

God Only Knows What This Means For The Angels

Albert Burneko

Kylian Mbappé alone against a blue background

What The Hell Is Going On With Kylian Mbappé?

Barry Petchesky

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 30: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins hugs Brad Marchand #63 before exiting the ice after Florida Panthers defeat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime of Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Patrice Bergeron Was Unhateable

Giri Nathan

The Celtics Are All The Way In

Luis Paez-Pumar

Sarina Bolden (R) of Philippines celebrates after scoring her team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group A match between New Zealand and Philippines at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.

While You Were (Probably) Sleeping, Group A Got Real Hectic

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

An open sign in the window of a gift shop is seen in Times Square on August 16, 2020 in New York. Five months after New York City shut down to combat the coronavirus, the tourism industry remains flat. Business leaders and City officials are trying to devise plans to revive the tourism industry that has in years past brought in $45 billion annually and supported 300,000 jobs. (Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)

Funbag

Police Merch Is Its Own Horrible Little Fiefdom

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) trips as he runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions on January 1, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Chicago Bears

Ray Ratto

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 01:The sky lights up as the Kansas City Royals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 01, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) ***Local Caption***

The Royals Have No Good Argument For A New Stadium

Naoya Inoue (L) of Japan and Stephen Fulton (C) of the US fight

The Fights

Naoya Inoue Is Heavier And Scarier


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 8: Bronny James #6 of Team USA looks on during the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit on April 8, 2023 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon.

College Basketball

Bronny James Suffers Cardiac Arrest At Practice, Now Out Of ICU

Linda Lizeth Caicedo Alegria of Colombia celebrates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Colombia and South Korea at Sydney Football Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Linda Caicedo Is The Future

FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY - JULY 20: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets run drills during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on July 20, 2023 in Florham Park, New Jersey.

This Is The Worst Time Of Football Season

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 23: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts in the dugout during the first inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 23, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Let’s Get Weird. Let’s Send Shohei Ohtani To The A’s

Kathryn Xu

VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: LOCK//IN - Groups

Esports

‘Valorant’ Has Given Us An Unbelievable Underdog Story

Bia Zaneratto of Brazil celebrates after scoring her team's third goal during during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group F match between Brazil and Panama at Hindmarsh Stadium on July 24, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia.

Brazil’s Quintessentially Brazilian Goal Is Soccer At Its Finest

Patrick Redford

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 23: (L-R) Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates on second place and race winner Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Jumbo-Visma - Yellow Leader Jersey pose on the podium ceremony after the stage twenty-one of the 110th Tour de France 2023 a 11 5.1km stage from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Cycling

The Tour de France’s Best Rivalry Will Only Get Better

Germany's forward #11 Alexandra Popp (R) celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup Group H football match between Germany and Morocco at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also known as AAMI Park, in Melbourne on July 24, 2023.

Alexandra Popp Is The Dream Crusher

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Lo'eau LaBonta and Sam Coffey face off in the 2022 NWSL Championship match.

Even During A World Cup Summer, There’s A Lot Of Fun To Be Found In The NWSL

Bryce Harper makes a forceout at first base

Bryce Harper Knows His Way Around First Base


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

Paleoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Professor Lee Rogers Berger holds a replica of the skull of "NEO" a new skeleton fossil findings of the Homo Naledi Hominin species at the cradle of Human Kind in Maropeng near Johannesburg on May, 9 2017 in South Africa. Primitive hominids may have lived in Africa at the same time as humans, researchers said Tuesday, in new findings that could change the understanding of human evolution. Fossils found deep in South Africa's Rising Star cave complex in 2013 have been dated by several expert teams with their findings suggesting the hominids, called Homo naledi, may have lived alongside Homo sapiens. It had previously been thought that the hominids were millions of years old. A team of 20 scientists from laboratories and institutions around the world, including in South Africa and Australia, established the age of the fossils which suggests that Homo naledi may well have lived at the same time as humans. (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN / AFP) (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Science

Here’s A Recap Of Lots Of Science Drama About Ancient Human Death

Life Lessons

On The Meaning Of Going Back For More J.T. Realmuto Highlights At 11:47 P.M.

Lucy Bronze of England battles for possession with Melchie Dumornay of Haiti during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group D match between England and Haiti at Brisbane Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Brisbane / Meaanjin, Australia.