CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Billy Haisley

Cole Palmer of Chelsea FC celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates Reece James and Joao Pedro of Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Bills Week

Cole Palmer Demolished A Bill-Less PSG, And The Rest Is History

Fluminense's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Fabio concedes a second goal by Chelsea's Brazilian forward #20 Joao Pedro (2-L)during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semifinal football match between Brazil's Fluminense and England's Chelsea at the MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 8, 2025.

Soccer

Who Is Winning At Soccer?

Spain's Alexia Putellas scores their side's first goal during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Group D match at the Arena Thun in Thun, Switzerland.

Spain Is Untouchable When Alexia Is Feeling It

Image from the music video of Halc DJ's "Tamborzada do Submundo."

Music

Halc DJ’s Brazilian Funk Album Fights A Righteous War Against The Algorithms

Bruno Henrique #27 of CR Flamengo celebrates with his team mates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group D match between CR Flamengo and Chelsea FC at Lincoln Financial Field on June 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

South America Rules The Club World Cup

Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius (second right) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game with team-mates during the UEFA Women's Champions League final at Estadio Jose Alvalade, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Arsenal Met The Moment And Became Champions

Neco Williams of Nottingham Forest looks dejected after the draw in the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Leicester City FC at City Ground on May 11, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

Nottingham Forest Is Missing A Trick

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy.

Lamine Yamal’s Wait Is Over

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne (centre left) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game from a free-kick during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

Kevin De Bruyne Has One More Job

Desire Doue of Paris Saint-Germain salutes the fans as he exits the match during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC at Parc des Princes on April 09, 2025 in Paris, France.

Désiré Doué Is The Coolest Of The Cool

Still image of MC Ktrine and DJ Saze from the music video for "Bonde da Ó."

MC Ktrine’s Rapping Is A Gift To Brazilian Funk

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo celebrates during the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Finals Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Real Madrid CF on March 26, 2025 in London, England.

Alessia Russo Smashed The Real Madrid Pumpkin

Caroline Weir scores during the match between FC Barcelona Women and Real Madrid CF Women in week 23 of the Liga F, played at the Olympic Stadium Lluis Companys in Barcelona, Spain, on March 23, 2025.

Liga F

Real Madrid Is Finally Becoming Real Madrid

Real Madrid players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain on March 12, 2025. Real Madrid won in a penalty shootout.

Real Madrid Is A Monster, And Every Derby Is Halloween

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Barcelona and SL Benfica at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on March 11, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

Lamine Yamal Wows On Accident And On Purpose

Pedro Gonzalez 'Pedri' of FC Barcelona competes for the ball with Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid during the Copa del Rey semi-final Leg One match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on February 25, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

Pedri’s Got The Whole World At His Feet

Michael Olise of Bayern Munich controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

At Bayern Munich, What Michael Olise Says Goes

Jhon Duran of Aston Villa gives a thumbs up during the warm up prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between Aston Villa FC and Celtic FC at Villa Park on January 29, 2025 in Birmingham, England.

Will Jhon Durán Ever Be Back?

Naomi Girma of Chelsea waves to the crowd as she is unveiled as a Chelsea player prior to the Barclays Women's Super League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on January 26, 2025 in London, England.

Naomi Girma’s Move To Chelsea Is Ambition Incarnate

Jhon Duran of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Manchester City FC at Villa Park on December 21, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

Jhon Durán Can’t Stop Putting Goals On Film

Memphis Depay of Corinthians celebrates after scoring the team's third goal during the Brasileirao 2024 match between Corinthians and Bahia at Neo Quimica Arena on December 3, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Memphis Depay Was Made For Brazil

Matheus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers scores his team's first goal whilst under pressure from Joachim Andersen of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Craven Cottage on November 23, 2024 in London, England.

Matheus Cunha Is A Wolf In Wolves Clothing

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is playing during the UEFA Nations League 2024 League B Group B1 match between Ukraine and Georgia , at the Poznan Arena in Poznan, Poland, on October 11, 2024.

Even A Little Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Goes A Long Way

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv stage a pro-Israel demonstration at the Dam Square, lighting up flares and chanting slogans ahead of the UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands on November 07, 2024. Maccabi fans clashed with pro-Palestinian citizens and ripped off Palestinian flags hung on the streets. In the lead-up to the Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match, several areas of Amsterdam have been designated as security risk zones.

The Media Can’t Figure Out Why Some Racist Israeli Soccer Hooligans Were Beaten Up

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri (L) receives the Ballon d'Or award from former President of Liberia and former Liberian football player George Weah (2L) as he wins in front of second-placed Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior and third-placed Real Madrid's English midfielder Jude Bellingham during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.