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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

Luis Paez-Pumar

Presentation by two secretaries of the typing robot at the exhibition 'Happiness in the office', in Paris, France, on October 13, 1960.

The Machines

ESPN Masks Cynical AI Pivot As Benevolent Coverage Of “Underserved” Sports

Billy Haisley

Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 31, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona Finally Figured Out Raphinha

Joao Pedro of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring a goal to make the score 2-1 during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Manchester United FC at Amex Stadium on August 24, 2024 in Brighton, United Kingdom.

At Brighton, Life Is Still Like A Video Game

The official NWSL game ball sits on top of a pedestal with the NWSL Logo on it with the stadium behind the ball at the start of the National Women's Soccer League match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and North Carolina Courage at Red Bull Arena on May 4, 2024 in Harrison, New Jersey.

NWSL Throws The Draft In The Trash Where It Belongs

Patrick Redford

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City indicates to the Tottenham fans how many times they've won the Premier Leagu as he is substituted off during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at The King Power Stadium on August 19, 2024 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Old Man Jamie Vardy Is Back Scoring Goals And Chatting Shit

Italian Sports Journalist, Fabrizio Romano, looks on with his phone prior to the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on May 25, 2024 in London, England.

Why Is Soccer’s Most Famous Scoopster Doing PR Work For Mason Greenwood?

Albert Burneko

Ilkay Gundogan and Vitor Roque of FC Barcelona during a training session before Barça's La Liga match against Valencia CF

Deadbeat Club At War With Its Own Players, Again

Tom Ley

Jhon Duran of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Morgan Rogers during the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Aston Villa FC at London Stadium on August 17, 2024 in London, England.

Jhon Durán Picked The Funniest Time And Place To Score

Maitreyi Anantharaman

The Premier League trophy during a pre-season friendly match between Manchester City and Celtic at Kenan Stadium, on July 23, 2024, in North Carolina, USA.

And Now, A Timely And Exhaustive Preview Of The 2024-25 Premier League Season

Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of World XI acknowledges the fans prior to Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 at Stamford Bridge.

With Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT Aims High And Scores For Once

Lauren Theisen

Naomi Girma #4 of Team United States celebrates victory in the Women's Gold Medal match

The USWNT Is As Golden As Ever

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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

ans of Team Brazil hold a flag with a picture of Marta prior to the Women's Quarterfinal match between France and Brazil during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Marta’s Last Chance

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.

The USWNT Is Grinding Its Way Toward A Better Future

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 Was Fearless

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

A drone flies over a forest with a tree house.

No, Canada!

<p><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}]]"><em>Neil deMause</em></a><em> has covered sports economics for more publications than even he can shake a stick at. He’s co-author of the book </em><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><em>, and runs </em><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}]]"><em>the website of the same name</em></a><em>.</em></p>


Neil deMause

A rendering of the future Willets Point soccer stadium.

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.