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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.

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Defector

Enter Our Raffle To Win A Visit And Home-Cooked Meal From Drew Magary

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tip jar sweepstakes

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Tom Ley

Marta #10 of Orlando Pride battles during the NWSL Playoff Semifinals between Orlando City v Kansas City Current at Inter&amp;Co Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Pride v Kansas City Current – NWSL Playoffs

Soccer

The Pride Feasted On Kansas City’s Fear

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Referee David Coote gestures during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC at Anfield on November 09, 2024 in Liverpool, England.

Liverpool FC v Aston Villa FC – Premier League

Premier League Ref Scandal Now Includes White Powder And A Gutted Lad

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Patrick Redford

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: Match Referee David Coote gestures during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal FC at Selhurst Park on August 21, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Crystal Palace v Arsenal FC – Premier League

Premier League Ref Admits Video Of Him Talking Wild Shit About Liverpool Not Actually A Deepfake

Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City reacts after they lose the match during the Premier League match between Brighton &amp; Hove Albion FC and Manchester City FC at Amex Stadium on November 9, 2024 in Brighton, England.

Brighton & Hove Albion FC v Manchester City FC – Premier League

Manchester City Is Stuck In The Mud

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Billy Haisley

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.

Pro-Israel Maccabi fans stage demonstration in Amsterdam, at least ten arrests

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

Sporting Lisbon's players celebrate after Swedish forward #09 Viktor Gyokeres scored his team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 4 football match between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on November 5, 2024.

TOPSHOT-FBL-EUR-C1-SPORTING-MANCHESTER CITY

The New Champions League Format Actually Rocks

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.

FBL-AWARD-BALLON D’OR-2024

The Best Isn’t Always Enough For The Ballon d’Or

<a href="https://twitter.com/petesegall?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pete Segall</a> lives in Chicago. His fiction has appeared in The Bennington Review, Conjunctions, The Drift, and elsewhere.

Pete Segall

Manchester United players Tommy Taylor, left, and Ken Morgans, line up before playing Arsenal at their Highbury Stadium, 1st February 1958. This was Taylor's last match, he died in the plane crash that killed 8 of the Busby Babes team in Munich less than a week later.

Taylor And Morgans

Defector Reads A Book

In David Peace’s ‘Munichs,’ The Dead Are Everywhere You Look

Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates 0-4 with Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid v FC Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 26, 2024 in Madrid Spain

Real Madrid v FC Barcelona – LaLiga EA Sports

Barcelona Has Put It All Together

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Albert Burneko

Erik Ten Hag walks through some soap bubbles on his way to the pitch for what turned out to be his final match as Manchester United manager.

West Ham United FC v Manchester United FC – Premier League

English Premier League

More Like Erik Done Hag

Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale reacts after conceding the late winning goal during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Leicester City FC at St Mary's Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Southampton, England.

Southampton FC v Leicester City FC – Premier League

Southampton Is Too Stubborn For The Premier League

Forward Temwa Chawinga #6 of the Kansas City Current dribbles the ball with defender Abby Dahlkemper #13 of Bay FC defending in the second half during a game between Bay FC and the Kansas City Current at PayPal Park on October 12, 2024 in San Jose, California.

Kansas City Current v Bay FC

NWSL

Temwa Chawinga Has Conquered The NWSL

An image from the BOS Nation rollout video depicting a goat standing in front of the words Goat Balls

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BOS Nation Apologizes For Ill-Advised Rollout, Not For Being Named BOS Nation

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Defector Up All Night

It’s BOS Nation

Investigations Editor. You can reach her at diana@defector.com or, if you prefer protonmail, dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. If security is a concern, download the Signal app and send her a text at 929-251-8187.

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Diana Moskovitz

Lesley Ryder is a writer and a host covering the Chicago Red Stars. She co-created <a href="https://galpalsports.com/">Gal Pal Sports</a>, a platform that lives to make women’s sports fun for everyone.

Lesley Photo

Lesley Ryder

San Diego Wave flags during the NWSL match between the San Diego Wave FC and the Portland Thorns on May 26, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA.

San Diego Wave Logo

San Diego Wave, NWSL Sued For Team’s “Abusive And Hostile Work Environment”

Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, applauds the fans following the team's victory during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on October 05, 2024 in London, England.

Crystal Palace FC v Liverpool FC – Premier League

Liverpool Hasn’t Missed A Beat Under Arne Slot

Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United, reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Old Trafford on September 29, 2024 in Manchester, England.

Manchester United FC v Tottenham Hotspur FC – Premier League

Surely, Erik Ten Hag Can’t Survive Yet Another Horrendous Start … Right?

Karim Adeyemi of Borussia Dortmund celebrates the teams second on advertising band during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Borussia Dortmund and Celtic FC at BVB Stadion Dortmund on October 1, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany.

Borussia Dortmund v Celtic FC – UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2

Borussia Dortmund’s Newest Star Is Born

Then-head coach Rory Dames of Chicago Red Stars looks on against Washington Spirit during the NWSL Championship held at Lynn Family Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. (

Rory Dames

Rory Dames Disappeared From The SafeSport Database And SafeSport Isn’t Saying Why

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the LaLiga match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio de la Ceramica on September 22, 2024 in Villarreal, Spain.

Villarreal CF v FC Barcelona  – La Liga EA Sports

Lamine Yamal Is Already On Top

Leandro Trossard of Arsenal leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Manchester, England.

Manchester City FC v Arsenal FC – Premier League

Arsenal–Manchester City Clash Ruined By Premier League’s New Focus On Delays Of Game

Antonio Rüdiger of Real Madrid celebrates with team mates their team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid CF and VfB Stuttgart at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 17, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

Real Madrid CF v VfB Stuttgart – UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1

Real Madrid Must Learn How To Walk Before It Can Run

Girona's Argentine goalkeeper #13 Paulo Gazzaniga (C) concedes Paris Saint-Germain's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 1st round day 1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Girona FC at the Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 18, 2024.

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Brutally Late Goalie Boner Costs Girona In Champions League Debut

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Maitreyi Anantharaman

Alex Morgan of USA celebrates her first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Final match between Japan and USA at the FIFA World Cup stadium Frankfurt on July 17, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Japan v USA: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 Final

Find A Job You Enjoy, And You’ll Never Have A Day Off In Your Life

Callum Hudson-Odoi of Nottingham Forest celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield on September 14, 2024 in Liverpool, England.