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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

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

Image from iOS (36)

Luis Paez-Pumar

Kerolin #7 of Team Brazil celebrates scoring her team's fourth goal during the Women's semifinal match between Brazil and Spain during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de Marseille on August 06, 2024 in Marseille, France.

Brazil v Spain: Women’s Football Semifinal – Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 11

Soccer

Brazil Was Fearless

bh def prof pic

Billy Haisley

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.

FBL-OLY-PARIS-2024-ZAM-GER

Olympics

Even Perfection Isn’t Enough For Barbra Banda

Head coach of Canada Beverly Priestman gestures during Quarterfinals - 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup between Canada and Costa Rica at BMO Stadium on March 2, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Canada v Costa Rica: Quarterfinals – 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup

Canada Manager Did Not Realize Writing Emails About Her Drone Spying Plot Was A Bad Idea

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Albert Burneko

Nico Williams left winger of Spain and Athletic Club Bilbao celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany.

Nico Williams

Barcelona’s Pursuit Of Nico Williams Is Yet Another Degrading Farce

Vanessa Gilles #14 of Team Canada celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's second goal during the Women's group A match between France and Canada during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on July 28, 2024 in Saint-Etienne, France.

France v Canada: Women’s Football – Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 2

Canada Is Proving It Doesn’t Need Drones To Fly

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.

FBL-OLY-PARIS-2024-USA-ZAM

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.

Presentation of the Munich security concept

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

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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.

Spain v France – UEFA Women’s Nations League 2024 Final

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

A drone flies over a forest with a tree house.

Drone

No, Canada!

<a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://demause.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://demause.net/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">Neil deMause</a> has covered sports economics for more publications than even he can shake a stick at. He’s co-author of the book <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Field-Schemes-Stadium-Swindle-Private/dp/1567511384?ascsubtag=c9dca64cfbbd6c35085d286f4423ee39b8350b2f&amp;rawdata=%5Br%7Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%5Bks%7Cgoogle%5Bt%7Clink%5Bp%7C1800657108%5Ba%7C1567511384%5Bau%7C5722120546910826704%5Bb%7Cdeadspinascsubtag%3D4eba2da0f6cc83fe1f221e8d8ca5894cd93bf2a7ascsubtag%3D33f4f2a16c1eda72859c34ee8aa577410b04a0d8&amp;tag=deadspinamzn-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga="[[&quot;Commerce&quot;,&quot;deadspin - Baseball Doesn't Need Collusion To Turn Off The Hot Stove&quot;,&quot;1567511384&quot;]]" data-amazonasin="1567511384" data-amazontag="deadspinamzn-20" data-amazonsubtag="[r|https://www.google.com/[ks|google[t|link[p|1831644811[a|1567511384[au|5722120546910826704[b|deadspin[lt|text" data-commerceready="true">Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit</a>, and runs <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://fieldofschemes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://fieldofschemes.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">the website of the same name</a>.

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Neil deMause

A rendering of the future Willets Point soccer stadium.

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Capital

How NYC Gave Hundreds Of Millions To The Yankees And An Oil Baron Sheikh For The Willets Point Soccer Stadium—No Questions Asked

Sávio Moreira of Brazil celebrates his goal during the CONMEBOL Copa America USA Group Stage match between Paraguay and Brazil at Allegiant Stadium on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Paraguay v Brazil – CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024

Wings Week

Manchester City Ripped A Wing Off Girona Just Because It Can

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.

Colombia v Panama – CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024

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 v England: Final – UEFA EURO 2024

Spain Was Unstoppable To The Very End

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Patrick Redford

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)

Panama v United States – CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024

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.

Spain v France: Semi-Final – UEFA EURO 2024

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.

SOCCER: JUL 10 CONMEBOL Copa America – Semifinals – Uruguay vs Colombia

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.

Netherlands v England: Semi-Final – UEFA EURO 2024

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.

Spain v Georgia: Round of 16 – EURO 2024

Lamine Yamal And Nico Williams Are Here To Save The Euros

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Ray Ratto

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.

United States v Uruguay – CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024

U.S. Soccer Is Happy To Make You Wait

Temwa Chawinga #6 of Kansas City Current controls the ball during the first half of the National Womens Soccer League game against NJ/NY Gotham FC on April 14, 2024 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

SOCCER: APR 14 NWSL NJ/NY Gotham FC vs Kansas City Current

Barbra Banda And Temwa Chawinga Were Bigger Than The Season’s Biggest Game

Uruguay v Brazil – CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024

Sometimes Ugly Gets The Job Done

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 1: United States Head Coach Gregg Berhalter walks across the field at the end of 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. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 1: during 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. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

U.S. Soccer Is Damned If It Does

Normal Gossip: portraits

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Players give high-fives after the National Anthem before an NWSL match between the Portland Thorns and Kansas City Current on June 23, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.

NWSL

The NWSL Took Me Back

Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States yells at referee Kevin Ortega during the second half against Uruguay at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 01, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.

A Noisy Loss Is Still Just A Loss

Jude Bellingham of England, scores his team's first goal with a acrobatic kick during the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between England and Slovakia at Arena AufSchalke on June 30, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

England v Slovakia: Round of 16 – UEFA EURO 2024

England Was Finally Exciting, Still Not Actually Good