The 1st Half Culture Show

Football almost ended for Charles Auguste. In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, the FC Supra du Québec midfielder opens up about the highs, setbacks, and turning points that shaped his journey — from Québec youth football and NCAA soccer to Houston, injuries, stepping away from the game, and finding unfinished business back home. Charles shares the reality behind the professional pathway,...

From the academy at Newcastle United F.C. to Premier League nights and now life in MLS, Matty Longstaff joins The 1st Half Culture Show for an honest conversation about the highs and realities of professional football. Matty opens up about growing up in one of football’s most passionate cities, family influence, the pressure that comes with academy football, and his unforgettable debut goal agains...

Football doesn’t grow on the pitch alone — it grows through stories, voices, and community. In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show , Karim Mehdi shares his journey from athletic therapist to becoming a rising voice in football media, covering the game where it lives — at the grassroots and community level. As host of On S’en Foot and commentator within Quebec’s football scene, Karim breaks d...

What does it really take to perform at the highest level — and stay there? In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, Laurent Ciman, former MLS Defender of the Year and current assistant coach at FC Supra du Québec, shares a raw and honest look into the mentality behind professional football. From competing in Europe’s top leagues and experiencing the Champions League and World Cup environments...

Step inside the world of Roman-style pizza with Richie Ourichian, founder of Segreta in Montreal. From his early days as a cobbler to becoming a master pizzaiolo, Richie shares his incredible journey, passion, and philosophy behind authentic pizza al taglio. Discover how 72–96 hour fermentation, high-hydration dough, and precision baking create crispy, airy, and flavorful Roman pizza. Richie also...

n this exclusive interview, former CF Montréal captain Patrice Bernier and entrepreneur Alexandre Kénol dive deep into football, community impact, and the future of Canadian soccer. From World Cup excitement to building opportunities for youth through the Patrice Bernier Foundation, this conversation explores how sport goes beyond the pitch.⚽ Topics covered:Canada’s rising stars & World Cup e...

Meet rising Canadian talent Chloe Minas, a defensive midfielder for the Montréal Roses, as she shares her incredible journey from Montreal to professional football in Sweden and back home. From her early days playing in Montreal to captaining at the University of Pittsburgh, Chloe built her path through hard work, resilience, and self-belief. She opens up about sending 100+ emails to coaches, crea...

Musician, sports fan, and community advocate PY Letellier joins the show to talk about the powerful connection between music, football, and community. Growing up in the small Québec town of La Tabatière, PY spent his childhood hunting, fishing, and playing hockey before eventually touring the world as the bass player for The Damn Truth. In this interview, he shares how sports shaped his life, why...

Montreal football culture runs deep — from Italian family Sundays to the ultras of Europe. In this powerful interview, Anthony Corneli, assistant coach at FC Supérieur, joins TSN 690 to share his incredible football journey. From growing up in Montreal’s Italian community to coaching in Trinidad’s military club system, this is a story about passion, resilience, and building football culture the ri...

Canadian soccer is entering a defining era — on the field and behind the scenes. In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show , Laura Armstrong, Vice President of Communications & Business Integration at Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, joins us in studio to break down the rebranding of CSME, the evolution of the Canadian soccer ecosystem, and what this moment means with the World Cu...

Midfielder Felicia Roy joins The First Half to share her journey to professional football, her rise with the Montreal Roses, and the rapid growth of women’s soccer in Canada through the NSL.From dreaming of becoming a professional at a young age, developing in the CF Montréal Academy, competing at the collegiate level with Champlain College, and breaking through in League1 Québec, Felicia opens up...

⚽ From Laval to the Pro GameSean Rea shares his journey from growing up in Laval to signing for his boyhood club, CF Montréal. From kicking a ball around the backyard to making his MLS debut, Rea reflects on what it means to represent home at the highest level.🔥 Life Lessons From the PitchRea opens up about the realities of professional football — including a rare moment of being subbed off just...

From obsession to silverware, this is the story of a player who lived and breathed the game. David Choiniere joins us in studio to talk about his journey through the Canadian Premier League, winning multiple championships with Forge FC, and his return to Quebec with FC Supra. David opens up about becoming obsessed with turning pro, the sacrifices required to make it, the importance of academies, s...

Football is more than a game. It’s music, food, fashion, community — and the stories that connect it all. The 1st Half is where football culture lives. From intimate conversations with artists, chefs, musicians, and athletes, to street-level voices in Football in the City, this channel explores how the game shapes — and is shaped by — culture around the world. Featuring guests like James Bay, Geor...

Quebec has a different football mentality, and that mindset is helping shape the future of the game in Canada. In this in-depth episode of The First Half, we sit down with Kyt Selaidopoulos, Assistant Coach and Director of Youth Football at Forge FC, Head Coach of Canada’s National Futsal Team, and one of the most respected football minds in the country. Kyt shares insight on the culture of footba...

In this exclusive in-studio interview, FC Supra head coach Nick Rosati shares his journey, philosophy and vision ahead of the club’s 2026 Canadian Premier League debut . From starting on the sideline at 17 to learning from the NFL, NBA and hockey, Rosati explains why humility, ego management and man management are at the heart of his approach. He breaks down how to build a winning culture from day...

From Belgium’s academy system to the World Cup stage — resilience defined. Team Canada defender Zorhan Bassong , now with Sporting Kansas City in MLS, joins Paul Desbaillets for a powerful conversation about sacrifice, identity, and rebuilding a career across continents. Bassong opens up about: leaving Canada at 14 to pursue elite development in Belgium navigating the challenges of European footba...

From sleeping in an abandoned church to sharing the pitch with Didier Drogba — this is the powerful, emotional, and inspiring true story of Novello Yoseke, a refugee turned professional footballer. Born in South Sudan, raised in a refugee camp in Egypt, and sponsored to Canada, Novello’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and passion. He went from playing barefoot to representing South Sudan’s...

From the backyard to the big stage. Team Canada and CF Montréal midfielder Mathieu Choinière joins The 1st Half Culture Show for a special Breville collaboration ahead of the Canada vs Ecuador friendly on November 12. He opens up about his journey from Montreal’s academy to the national team, the lessons he learned from multi-sport training, and why “hard work beats talent” has guided every step o...

From the streets of Stuttgart to the spotlight in Montreal. CF Montréal striker Prince Owusu joins Paul Desbaillets to talk about his journey — from Germany’s academy system to finding purpose, perseverance, and family through football. The Guinean-German forward opens up about his early days in Stuttgart’s academy, lessons from Europe, and how he became one of CF Montréal’s most exciting players...

From kitchens to curveballs, food and football are never far apart. Chef Stephen Marcone, owner of Bistro Amerigo and longtime Roma supporter, joins Paul Desbaillets to talk about cooking, culture, and the Italian soul of Montreal. From his journey through Italy’s kitchens to opening Café Figata, Marcone shares stories of football fandom, family, and building restaurants that bring people together...

From Miami to Manchester, the football world never sleeps. Paul Desbaillets unpacks a wild week: - Lionel Messi signs on with Inter Miami until 2028, a deal that could redefine MLS. - A full-blown manager shuffle as Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche, Nuno Espirito Santo and Graham Potter all switch seats. - MLS and Apple drop Season Pass fees for the playoffs to make the game more accessible.- And UEFA...

From Miami to Swansea, last week in football culture has everything. Paul Desbaillets breaks down how Beckham’s Inter Miami is becoming England’s 2026 World Cup base, why Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart now own a piece of Swansea City, and how Ed Sheeran ended up on the Barça shirt. He wraps with the incredible story of Cape Verde, the island nation of just 525 000 people qualifying for the World Cu...

From weddings to the Wu-Tang afterparty, and now the borough ballot. Jason “Jace” Dery , better known as Monsieur Notre Dame , joins The 1st Half to talk about community, creativity, and the real meaning of giving back. An entrepreneur, entertainer, and now political candidate for Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough with Futur Montréal , Jace opens up about his journey from raising over $25K for Sun Yout...

From the streets of Cameroon to the Canadian national team, Ali Gerba’s story is pure football culture. Paul Desbaillets sits down with the former striker to talk about his rise from humble beginnings, his time in Europe and MLS, and why he believes Canadian football is still just getting started. Gerba opens up about his foundation work, his training centre Complete Striker, and the resilience th...