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Patrick Redford

NASHVILLE, TN - FEBRUARY 19: Mallory Swanson #9 of the United States is marked by Fuka Nagano #8 and Risa Shimizu #2 of Japan during a game between Japan and USWNT at GEODIS Park on February 19, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The USWNT Is Still Coming Together Slowly

Ray Ratto

Fans are seen waving flags inside the stadium as they await the unveiling of new FC Barcelona Head Coach Xavi Hernandez during a press conference at Camp Nou on November 08, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barcelona Insists There’s Nothing Weird About Paying A Referee $1.3 Million

Luis Paez-Pumar

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal looks dejected during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on February 15, 2023 in London, England.

Arsenal Found Out Just How Hard It Is To Topple Manchester City

Laura Wagner

Team Canada stands at mid-field with their Olympic Gold Medals before the first of the Canadian Women's National Team Olympic Gold Medal Celebration Tour games against the New Zealand Womens Football Ferns national team.

Canadian Women’s National Team Forced To Play In Women’s Empowerment Soccer Tournament

Tom Ley

Goodbye To Nathan Jones, The Premier League’s Least Normal Man

The official Manchester City club badge on a cornerflag ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton FC at Etihad Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Why Is The Premier League Going To War With Manchester City?

Moussa Diaby of Bayer 04 Leverkusen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart at BayArena on November 12, 2022 in Leverkusen, Germany.

Window Shopping: Is Moussa Diaby Worth An Expensive Gamble?

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Player of Brazil Dani Alves signs the national anthem before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 group G match between Brazil and Cameroon at Lusail Stadium on December 2, 2022 in Lusail, Qatar.

Dani Alves Jailed In Sexual Assault Case

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring the 2nd Arsenal goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal Is Halfway Home

Azzedine Ounahi of Morocco controls the Ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 3rd Place match between Croatia and Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium on December 17, 2022 in Doha, Qatar

Window Shopping: Azzedine Ounahi Earned His World Cup Boost

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 with Christian Eriksen and Wout Weghorst during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park on January 18, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.

Under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United Has Regained Some Dignity

SALERNO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Davide Nicola US Salernitana's new coach and Danilo Iervolino US Salernitana president during a press conference on February 16, 2022 in Salerno, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

You’re Fired, And Just To Show I’m Serious, You’re Rehired

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 18: Mallory Swanson of USA celebrates after scoring a goal during the International friendly fixture match between the New Zealand Football Ferns and the United States at Sky Stadium on January 18, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Mallory Swanson Nudges The USWNT Back On Track

Everton Is Beyond Broken

Shakira arrives for the screening of the film "Elvis" during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2022.

Where Were You When Shakira Ruined Gerard Piqué?

AL KHOR, QATAR - DECEMBER 04: Jude Bellingham #22 of England reacts during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between England and Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.

Window Shopping: There’s Nothing Jude Bellingham Can’t Do

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 26, 2018.

Gareth Bale Always Scored The Biggest Goals

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 <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">La Barça Soc Supporter</a> and appears regularly on <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">The Barcelona Podcast</a>. His work has previously featured at outlets including The Blizzard, <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_">Urban Pitch</a>, The Squall, Barça Blaugranes, and <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">Sports Collectors Daily</a>.
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, <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">Hardwood Hype</a>.

Emile Avanessian

Alexia Putellas’s Documentary Finds Truth In Disaster

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Enzo Fernandez of Argentina poses for a photo with the FIFA Young Player award during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. With WINDOW SHOPPING graphic.

Window Shopping: Is Enzo Fernández Worth A Record-Breaking Transfer?

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

Pepe Reina of Villarreal CF during the friendly football match between SSC Napoli and Villarreal CF at Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Naples (Italy), December 17th, 2022.

The Color Star Cup Runneth Over

Gregg Berhalter, Head Coach of United States, gives instruction to Giovanni Reyna during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and USA at Khalifa International Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Patrick Smith - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Report: Reyna Family Gave U.S. Soccer Details About Gregg Berhalter’s 1991 Domestic Violence Incident

DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 3: Greg Berhalter of the United States lines up for the national anthem before a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and USMNT at Khalifa International Stadium on December 3, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Soccer Release Statements About Alleged Blackmail Plot Over 1991 Domestic Violence Incident

To Think Of Soccer Is To Think Of Pelé

Billy Haisley

Gabriel Martinelli celebrates scoring the 2nd Arsenal goal with (L) Granit Xhaka, (R) William Saliba, (2ndR) Eddie Nketiah, (3rdL) Martin Odegaard and (3rdR) Bukayo Saka during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2022 in London, England.

At Least We Have Arsenal Back

Lionel Messi right winger of Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain with the World Cup trophy after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.