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Sports

Luis Paez-Pumar

Santos experiences agony over first-ever relegation from Brazilian first division

Santos Suffers Historic, Agonizing Relegation For First Time In 111 Years

Billy Haisley

Damaris Egurrola of the Netherlands celebrates with teammates after scoring her teams third goal Romee Leuchter of the Netherlands during the UEFA Womens Nations League - League A Group 1 match between Netherlands Women and Belgium Women at Koning Willem II Stadion on December 5, 2023 in Tilburg, Netherlands

The Wildest Soccer Match Of The Week Was Between Two Teams That Didn’t Even Play Each Other

Tom Ley

Luton Town's English midfielder #06 Ross Barkley celebrates after scoring his team third goal during the English Premier League football match between Luton Town and Arsenal at Kenilworth Road in Luton, north of London on December 5, 2023.

Sometimes You Need An Old Dog To Fight The Big Ones

Luca Koleosho #30 of Burnley F.C. is celebrating his goal during the Premier League match between Burnley and Sheffield United at Turf Moor in Burnley, on December 2, 2023.

Burnley Endured Hell For One Night In Heaven

Dejan Kulusevski of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring a late equalising goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2023 in Manchester, England.

Tottenham Loves To Ruin Manchester City’s Day

Albert Burneko

In the background, Fulham keeper Bernd Leno dives toward a shot by Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool, out of focus in the foreground.

Liverpool Beats Fulham Via Half A Mile Of Sick Goals

Goalkeeper Andre Onana of Manchester United is dejected after the UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray A.S. and Manchester United at Ali Sami Yen Arena on November 29, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey.

André Onana Makes Manchester United Schadenfreude Taste A Little Less Delicious

Xavi Hernandez is speaking during the press conference prior to the UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, on November 27, 2023.

Xavi Is Not The Manager He Was Supposed To Be

Viktor Tsyhankov of Girona FC celebrates their team's first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Girona FC and Athletic Bilbao at Montilivi Stadium on November 27, 2023 in Girona, Spain.

Girona Is Thriving On The Edge Of A Knife

Matt Turner #1 of the United States talks with teammate Sergiño Dest #2 as he walks off the field after being red carded during the first half against Trinidad and Tobago at Hasely Crawford Stadium on November 20, 2023 in Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago.

Sergiño Dest Lost His Damn Mind

Gio Reyna #7 of the United States scores a goal and celebrates during a Concacaf Nations League game between Trinidad and Tobago and USMNT at Q2 Stadium on November 16, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

The USMNT Only Has One Gio Reyna

Caroline Graham Hansen FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the Liga F match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid Femenino at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on November 19, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona Rules Spain With A Golden, Five-Fingered Fist

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski of Everton form a defensive wall during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion at Goodison Park on November 4, 2023 in Liverpool, England.

Everton Hit With 10-Point Deduction For Being A Bunch Of Jagoffs

Luis Diaz of Colombia celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Brazil at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez on November 16, 2023 in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Reunited With Kidnapped Father, Luis Díaz Took On Brazil And Won

Ayase Ueda of Japan controls the ball against Thet Hein Soe of Myanmar during the FIFA World Cup Asian 2nd qualifier match between Japan and Myanmar at Panasonic Stadium Suita on November 16, 2023 in Suita, Osaka, Japan.

Japan Is For Real

Emma Hayes, Head Coach of Chelsea FC poses for a portrait during the UEFA Women's Champions League Official Portraits shoot on October 17, 2023 in Cobham, England.

Emma Hayes Knows What American Soccer Needs

Ollie Watkins (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team third goal during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on November 12, 2023.

Aston Villa Might Be A Mirage, But It’s A Fun One

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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

FC Gotham players hug after scoring a goal in the 2023 NWSL Championship game

Gotham’s Batshit Championship Win Caps NWSL’s Season Of Renewal

Life Lessons

Life Comes At You Fast

Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Atletico Madrid and Celtic FC at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on November 7, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

Atlético Madrid Is Enjoying Life In Bizarro World

Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag, looking lonely and miserable on the sideline while his team blows a lead to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League.

More Like Erik Two Hag

The LED board shows the VAR check which disallows a Tottenham Hotspur goal for offside during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 06, 2023 in London, England.

VAR Turned A Great Match Into The Worst And Weirdest Game Of The Season

Luis Diaz of Liverpool celebrating after scoring the equalising goal during the Premier League match between Luton Town and Liverpool FC at Kenilworth Road on November 05, 2023 in Luton, England.

Luis Díaz Delivered For Liverpool As Search For Kidnapped Father Continues

Francisco 'Isco' Alarcon of Real Betis celebrates a goal during the Spanish league, La Liga EA Sports, football match played between Real Betis and CA Osasuna at Benito Villamarin stadium on October 29, 2023, in Sevilla, Spain.

Isco’s Career Renaissance Is Better Late Than Never


<p><i>Emile is a freelance writer, originally from the U.S., now living in Barcelona. He writes about Spanish soccer, namely FC Barcelona and Barça Femeni, on Substack, at </i><a href="https://barcafemeni.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://barcafemeni.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw14bYDiXeApFrdtb0hLPnFE"><i>La Barça Soc Supporter</i></a><i> and appears regularly on </i><a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3pyv2PojdPBZ1Gkv3_aN-S"><i>The Barcelona Podcast</i></a><i>. His work has previously featured at outlets including The Blizzard, </i><a href="https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0I4zygG7AmIDTzwXlPE2u_"><i>Urban Pitch</i></a><i>, The Squall, Barça Blaugranes, and </i><a href="https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3g0kv0jxafpvL520xVCsVU"><i>Sports Collectors Daily</i></a><i>.</i></p>
<p><i>Emile also writes about the NBA, at his new outpost League Pass in L’Eixample. His previous work can be found at Forum Blue and Gold and his own site, a living relic of the basketblog era, </i><a href="https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753085000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2U949Uf-KXcPwkDPCbW129"><i>Hardwood Hype</i></a><i>.</i></p>


Emile Avanessian

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati receives the Women's Ballon d'Or award during the 2023 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30, 2023.