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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.

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Defector

Enter Our Raffle To Win A Visit And Home-Cooked Meal From Drew Magary

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal following the VAR check during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on March 01, 2023 in London, England.

Arsenal FC v Everton FC – Premier League

Soccer

Arsenal Is Back In Control

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Laura Wagner

Toronto FC v CF Montreal: 2021 Canadian Championship Final

Head Of Canada Soccer Forced Out Following Player Protests, No-Confidence Letter

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Justin Ellis

Wendie Renard of France during the UEFA Women's Euro England 2022 Semi Final match between Germany and France at Stadium mk on July 27, 2022 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Germany v France: Semi Final – UEFA Women’s EURO 2022

Three French Stars Step Away From Women’s National Team, Call For Changes

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Tom Ley

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 26: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the Carabao Cup Final match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 26, 2023 in London, England.

Manchester United v Newcastle United – Carabao Cup Final

Manchester United Can Stand On Marcus Rashford’s Shoulders

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Patrick Redford

TOPSHOT - United States forward Alex Morgan (C) raises the SheBelieves Cup trophy as the United States Womens National Soccer Team celebrates following the 2023 SheBelieves Cup soccer match between the United States and Brazil at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on February 22, 2023. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Alex Morgan Is All The Way Back

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker reacts as Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring the team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 21, 2023.

TOPSHOT-FBL-EUR-C1-LIVERPOOL-REAL MADRID

Real Madrid Will Take What Is Given

Canada team group as the players wear purple t shirts with enough is enough written on them during the 2023 SheBelieves Cup match between Canada and Brazil at GEODIS Park on February 19, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee

2023 SheBelieves Cup – Canada v Brazil

U.S. Soccer Has Nothing To Say About Canadian Women’s Protest

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)

2023 SheBelieves Cup – Japan v United States

The USWNT Is Still Coming Together Slowly

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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)

Xavi Hernandez Unveiled As New FC Barcelona FC Head Coach

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

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 FC v Manchester City – Premier League

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

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.

Canada Women’s Soccer

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

Brentford v Southampton – Premier League – Gtech Community Stadium

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.

Manchester City v Everton FC – Premier League

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.

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Window Shopping: Is Moussa Diaby Worth An Expensive Gamble?

Investigations Editor. You can reach her at diana@defector.com or, if you prefer protonmail, dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. If security is a concern, download the Signal app and send her a text at 929-251-8187.

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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

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 FC v Manchester United – Premier League

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

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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.

Crystal Palace v Manchester United – Premier League

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)

US Salernitana Unveil New Coach Davide Nicola

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)

New Zealand v USA

Mallory Swanson Nudges The USWNT Back On Track

Everton FC v Southampton FC – Premier League

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.

Shakira

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.

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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>.

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Emile Avanessian

FC Barcelona v Olympique Lyon – UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2021/22

Alexia Putellas’s Documentary Finds Truth In Disaster