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Kathryn Xu

Nico O'Reilly #3 and Harry Kane #9 of England react after a missed chance during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Ghana.

Soccer

What On Earth Is “Match Momentum”?

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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

Sophia Wilson of United States fights for the ball with Isadora Haas of Brazil during the international friendly match between Brazil and United States on June 06, 2026 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The USWNT And Brazil Stretched The Definition Of “Friendly”

Billy Haisley

Mateo Retegui of Italy celebrates during the European qualifier Fifa World Cup 2026 match between Italy and Israel at Friuli stadium. Final score; Italy 3 : 0 Israel.

Italy Makes Up For UEFA’s Cowardice By Ending Israel’s World Cup Chances

Luis Paez-Pumar

Marta Vieira and Kerolin Israel of Brazil hold the trophy after the CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina 2025 Final match between Colombia and Brazil at Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium on August 2, 2025 in Quito, Ecuador.

The Copa América Femenina Final Had It All: Goals, Controversy, And Marta

Chloe Kelly of England celebrates after scoring the team's winning penalty in the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

Chloe Kelly Carried England To The Promised Land

Aitana Bonmati of Spain celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Semi-Final match between Germany and Spain at Stadion Letzigrund on July 23, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Spain Won An Ugly Game Thanks To Moments Of Splendor

Chloe Kelly of England celebrates after scoring her team's second goal from a rebound following a saved penalty in extra-time during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Semi-Final match between England and Italy at Stade de Geneve on July 22, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In The Face Of Chaos, England Kept Calm And Carried On Into The Euros Final

Bundesliga

Champions League

English Premier League

Europa League

FA WSL

Internationals

La Liga

Liga F

Ligue 1

Northern Super League

NWSL

Serie A

Women's Champions League

Jennifer Falk #12 of Sweden missed a decisive 11m goal against goalkeeper Hannah Hampton #1 of England in the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Womens EURO 2025 Quarter-Final match between Sweden and England at Stadion Letzigrund on July 17, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Atrocious England-Sweden Penalty Shootout Has Wild Bill Hickok Turning Over In His Grave

Lauren James of England celebrates with teammate Ella Toone after scoring her team's third goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group D match between England and Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund on July 09, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland.

England Unleashed Hell On The Netherlands

Jule Brand and Klara Buehl (L-R) of Germany celebrate after her team's first goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group C match between Germany and Denmark at St. Jakob-Park on July 08, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

Germany Has Been Good Enough, For Now

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

Nuno Mendes of Portugal runs to the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2025 final match between Portugal and Spain at Munich Football Arena on June 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

Nuno Mendes Made The Nations League Worth The Hassle

USA's forward #9 Ally Sentnor celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the SheBelieves Cup football match between USA and Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on February 26, 2025.

Emma Hayes Shows Us The USWNT She Believes In

Albert Burneko

Ex-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales arrives at the Audiencia Nacional San Fernando de Henares on February 13, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.

Luis Rubiales Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Jenni Hermoso

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

Patrick Redford

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 18: Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States celebrates scoring during the first half against Jamaica leg two of the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals at Citypark on November 18, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri.

The Best And The Worst Of Christian Pulisic

Ray Ratto

Dante Rossi of San Marino and Ferhat Saglam of Liechtenstein compete for the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 League D match

The World’s Worst Soccer Team Is Finally Something Else

US' forward #05 Trinity Rodman (L) and US' forward #09 Mallory Swanson (R) celebrate after US' forward #11 Sophia Smith (C) scored in the 95th minute during the women's semi-final football match between USA and Germany during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Lyon Stadium in Lyon on August 6, 2024.

Olympics

The USWNT Is Grinding Its Way Toward A Better Future

Zambia's forward #11 Barbra Banda shoots to score the first goal for Zambia in the women's group B football match between Zambia and Germany during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne on July 31, 2024.

Even Perfection Isn’t Enough For Barbra Banda

US' forward #05 Trinity Rodman (3L) celebrates scoring the opening goal in the women's group A football match between the USA and Zambia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Nice Stadium in Nice, on July 25, 2024.

The USWNT Still Has Questions To Answer

A specially trained police officer demonstrates a controlled landing of a drone using a drone jammer during the presentation of the Munich security concept for the 2024 European Football Championship at the Munich soccer stadium.

Canada, Untrustworthy Nation To The North, Accused Of Massive Soccer Cheating Plot

Tom Ley

Aitana Bonmati of Spain scores her team's first goal whilst under pressure from Sakina Karchaoui and Amandine Henry of France as Pauline Peyraud-Magnin looks on during the UEFA Women's Nations League 2024 Final match between Spain and France at Estadio La Cartuja on February 28, 2024 in Seville, Spain.

Everything You Need To Know About The Women’s Olympic Soccer Tournament, While It’s Still Worth Knowing About

Dave McKenna

Dublin , Ireland - 21 July 2024; Tony Kelly of Clare scores his side's third goal during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Clare and Cork at Croke Park in Dublin.

Hurling

The All-Ireland Hurling Final Was A Historic Cracker

James Rodriguez of Colombia celebrates with team mates after scoring his goal , during the CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024 4th Final Match between Colombia and Panama at State Farm Stadium on July 6, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

Wings Week

The Best Soccer Of The Summer Came From Colombia Just Winging It

Mikel Oyarzabal of Spain scores his sides second goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany.

Spain Was Unstoppable To The Very End

Gregg Berhalter, Head Coach of United States reacts after the first half during the CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024 Group C match between Panama and United States at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)

The Era Of Low Expectations Is Over

Players of Spain celebrate on the bench as Lamine Yamal of Spain celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 Semi-Final match between Spain and France at Munich Football Arena on July 09, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

The Legend Of Lamine Yamal Has Its First Chapter

Uruguay forward Darwin Núñez (19) engages with hostile fans in the stands after the CONMEBOL Copa America semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia on Wednesday July 10, 2024 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Copa América Semifinal Ended With Uruguay Players Fighting Colombia Fans

Ollie Watkins of England celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates from the substitutes bench during the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final match between Netherlands and England at Football Stadium Dortmund on July 10, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany.

England Finally Got It Right

Lamine Yamal (17) and Nico Williams (19) of Spain celebrate during the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between Spain and Georgia at Cologne Stadium on June 30, 2024 in Cologne, Germany.

Lamine Yamal And Nico Williams Are Here To Save The Euros

Gregg Berhalter Head Coach of the United States during the National Anthem before the CONMEBOL Copa America group C match between the United States and Uruguay at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 1, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.