The 1st Half Culture Show

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 National Team in World Cup and AFCO...

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 of his career.

⚽ The 1st Half Cultu...

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 — finishing his first season with...

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.

⚽ The 1st Half Culture Show with Pau...

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 eyes a €5.9 billion Champions League d...

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 Cup, proof that passion always beats t...

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 Youth to spinning records for Wu-Tang and b...

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 that shaped his career , on and off the...

This week on One-Man Midfield, Paul Desbaillets dives into some wild headlines that hit deeper than just the pitch:

• 💰 Cristiano Ronaldo becomes football’s first billionaire player — $1.4B net worth and counting

• 🏟️ Manchester United may be changing hands… again. Rumors suggest a Saudi sale in the works

• 🐐 World Cup mascots unveiled: Maple the Moose (Canada), Zazú the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch the Bald Eagle (USA)

• 🌎 20 of 48 tea...

What happens when a football-loving, Tottenham-supporting local runs for city council in one of Montreal’s most dynamic boroughs?

We sat down with Shane Thompson, candidate for city councillor in the Sud-Ouest (Little Burgundy, St-Henri, Griffintown & Pointe-St-Charles), to talk about the intersection of football and politics — and why he believes the beautiful game builds better communities.

In this episode:

• Growing up in MTL...

The First Half Culture Show is back, now with two drops every week.🎙️ Wednesdays: Football Culture with Paul Desbaillets🎤 Thursdays: Special Guest ConversationsThis week’s solo drop? Paul’s sounding off on the biggest stories in the game right now:FC Supra shaking up Quebec footballEA’s $55 billion takeover 💰$6,730 World Cup Final tickets — yep, that’s real 🎟️Canada’s historic FIFA ranking 🏆Early-season chaos in the Premier Le...

From early-morning training to late-night recovery, CFL pro Tyrell Richards ( Alouettes de Montreal ) opens up about the realities of life as a professional athlete—how sleep, food, mindset, and community shape everything from performance to personal growth.Presented by Birckenstock in support of the GOAL Initiatives Foundation, this special episode is about more than just football, it’s about building a lifestyle around wellness, ...

6’7” forward Abdul Mohamed of the Montréal Alliance joins The 1st Half Culture Show to talk hoops, heritage, and how football culture shaped him off the court.

From growing up in a Somali-Canadian household to playing pro basketball across Germany, England, and Norway, Abdul unpacks how sport built his identity, and why football has always been part of his story.

We dig into African influence in the global game, how football showed u...

Canadian media icon and cultural connector George Stroumboulopoulos joins The 1st Half Culture Show presented by Breville, in collaboration with evenko and CULTMTL, for a no-holds-barred conversation about football, music, media, and community.

We talk Spurs heartbreak and Bob Marley, why football supporters aren’t just “fans,” how stadiums tell stories, and what it means to live out your values in a system that doesn’t always care....

Canadian alt-pop artist Emi Jean joins The 1st Half Culture Show to talk about her journey from singing opera at age 7 in Quebec bars to touring Asia, going solo, and performing on the grid at the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix.We dive into her love of football, her Osheaga 2025 stage debut, why storytelling is at the heart of her music, and how discipline and teamwork connect athletes and musicians. Emi also opens up about staying ...

In this week’s episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, we sit down with Italian-Canadian independent artist Gion, a rising voice in North America’s alt-pop and R&B scene. From charting with “Je Ne Veux Personne” to consulting for major brands, Gion shares how football culture shaped his creative outlook, why identity matters in his music, and what it means to tell authentic stories through art.If you’ve ever felt the connection b...

Fabio & Dan of Bossa MTL join The 1st Half Culture Show to share how their modern Italian café and market became a cultural landmark in Montreal. From their fresh take on Italian street food to building a warm, vibrant community hub, they talk about staying authentic while creating something truly their own.

We get into what Italian culture means today, why football and family go hand in hand, and how Montreal’s food scene conti...

From Romania to Montreal, Robert Rositoiu has dedicated his career to developing young football talent and shaping the future of the game in Canada.

As head coach of the Montreal Roses FC, Robert talks about winning in Ligue1 Québec, his time at CF Montréal, and what it takes to build players who can compete on the international stage.

⚽ “Coaching is more than tactics — it’s building people, not just players.”

🎧 Watch the full episod...

From the markets of Haiti to the kitchens of Montreal, Chef Paul Toussaint has never stopped bringing culture, community, and soul to the table. In this week's episode, Paul opens up about why he chose food over football, his deep love for the Haitian community, and how he built a BBQ concept inspired by Texas smokehouses and Caribbean soul.🔥 “When you cook, you should do it with the same love you’d show your family.”⚽ “I love...