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Billy Haisley

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

Tom Ley

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 Paez-Pumar

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

Albert Burneko

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.

The Moments That Made Aitana Bonmatí The Best In The World

A general view of the performance as Saudi Arabia is displayed on the LED Screen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Draw at Doha Exhibition Center on April 1, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia Will Host The 2034 World Cup

Jude Bellingham player of Real Madrid celebrates his goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on October 28, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

Jude Bellingham Has Already Made Madrid His Own

Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United during the UEFA Champions League match between Newcastle United FC and Borussia Dortmund at St. James Park on October 25, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Update: Sandro Tonali’s 10-Month Gambling Ban No Longer In Limbo

Brais Mendez of Real Sociedad celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League match between SL Benfica and Real Sociedad at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on October 24, 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Real Sociedad Is Exactly What The Champions League Needs

Johan Bakayoko of PSV celebrates 0-1 with Sergino Dest of PSV during the UEFA Champions League match between RC Lens v PSV at the Stade Bollaert Delelis on October 24, 2023 in Lens France

The Champions League’s ‘RedZone’ Had Its Crowning Moment

Jeremy Doku of Manchester City battles with Pascal Gross of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion at Etihad Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Manchester, England.

Jérémy Doku Unleashed

Megan Rapinoe #15 of OL Reign reacts after her last home regular-season NWSL match at Lumen Field on October 06, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.

Megan Rapinoe Put Retirement Off A Little Longer

United States forward Christian Pulisic (10) celebrates his goal with United States forward Tim Weah (21) during a match between the United Sates and Germany on October 14, 2023, at Pratt &amp; Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut.

The USMNT Once Again Played The Best

Belgium's forward Eden Hazard celebrates during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018.

Eden Hazard Deserved A Better Ending

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder #11 Gabriel Martinelli celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 8, 2023.

Gabriel Martinelli Is Built For The Big Ones

Patrick Redford

Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring first goal during the Serie A Tim match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Luigi Ferrari Stadium on October 7, 2023 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)