CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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.

Defector

Billy Haisley

Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi and NY Red Bulls' Colombian defender #04 Andres Reyes (R) vie for the ball during the Major League Soccer 2023 match between Inter Miami and New York Red Bulls at the Red Bull arena in Harrison, New Jersey, August 26, 2023.

Soccer

Everyone Wants To Watch Lionel Messi

Patrick Redford

Christian Pulisic of AC Milan during the Serie A Tim match between Bologna FC and AC Milan at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on August 21, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Defector Up All Night

Christian Pulisic Is So Back

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates his hat trick during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Manchester, England.

The Erling Haaland Show Has Only Just Begun

Bernardo Silva of Manchester City scores their side's third goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James Park on August 21, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Cut It Out, Kevin

Alessia Russo of England scores her teams third goal during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Semi Final match between England and Sweden at Bramall Lane on July 26, 2022 in Sheffield, England.

This Is England?

Liverpool's Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara shoots to score their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on November 27, 2021.

Everything Thiago Does Is Perfect

Aleksei Miranchuk of Russia celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group B match between Finland and Russia at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 16, 2021 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Russia’s Spectacular Team Goal Caps Delectably Attack-Heavy Match

Goalkeeper Suffers Ultimate Humiliation When Chipped From The Halfway Line

Chelsea's French striker Olivier Giroud (L) scores during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Chelsea at the Arena Nationala stadium in Bucharest on February 23, 2021.

Olivier Giroud Scores Fittingly Drab Golazo

Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund scores their side's third goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Sevilla FC and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on February 17, 2021 in Seville, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.

Erling Haaland Is Scary

Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes (R) scores his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on February 6, 2021.

When A Goal Is A Work Of Art

Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund battles for possession with Dayot Upamecano, Amadou Haidara, Marcel Sabitzer and Willi Orban of RB Leipzig during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at Red Bull Arena on January 09, 2021 in Leipzig, Germany. Sporting stadiums around Germany remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.

Erling Haaland Is Still Growing

Lille's US midfielder Timothy Weah celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Dijon FCO (DFCO) and Lille (LOSC), at the Gaston Gerard Stadium in Dijon, central France, on December 16, 2020.

Tim Weah Is Still Here

Daniel Podence of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates with teammates Romain Saiss and Pedro Neto after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux on December 15, 2020 in Wolverhampton, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution.

All Hail Daniel Podence, The Premier League’s Reigning Short King

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates after scoring their sides fourth goal while wearing a Newell's Old Boys shirt with the number 10 on the back in memory of former footballer, Diego Maradona, who recently passed away during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and C.A. Osasuna at Camp Nou on November 29, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.