Episode 648 – The AFTN Soccer Show (2024 Christmas Special with special guests Sebastian Berhalter, Isaac Boehmer, and Yohei Takaoka)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show and it's our 2024 Christmas Special, so jump on the Polar Express for a couple of hours of Festive Fun as we have football chat, presents, games, music, and a few surprise guests dropping in throughout the show to chat about a whole variety of things! So dig out the egg nog, have another mince pie, and ponder do you really need that item in the Boxing Day sales?! Major League Soccer gave Whitecaps fans an early Christmas present as they released the 2025 schedule last week, giving fans in Vancouver and throughout the league a chance to plan ahead early and perhaps book some trips with discounts in those very sales. We delve into what is a tough, tantalizing, and at times disappointing set of fixtures for the 'Caps. Plus we chat a bit more about the 'Caps seemingly completed search for a new coach and ponder is the MLS draft now redundant after it felt buried this year? Bringing in the Christmas cheer, we sit down with Whitecaps goalkeepers Isaac Boehmer and Yohei Takaoka, and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter to chat about what Christmas is like in their respective families, their traditions, and what they're hoping to find under the tree this year. All of this plus we have three Christmas hits from 1974 to round off our year of Whitecaps 50th anniversary celebrations, look back at what Christmas was like in 1974, we play some fun games that you can join in on at home, and Michael even gives you a potted version of the musical Oliver! Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode: 01.20: Intro - getting into the Christmas spirit, gift exchanges 22.23: Whitecaps MLS schedule throws up challenging 2025 45.10: A Berhalter Family Christmas 51.10: Who Am I? - Part One 62.38: Mud - Lonely This Christmas 68.00: A 1974 Christmas 78.13: Connect Four 90.35: The Whitecaps new coach - who could it be?! 95.06: Is the draft now redundant in MLS? 102.50: The Wombles - A Wombling Merry Christmas 107.38: A Boehmer Family Christmas 117.45: Who Am I? - Part Two 133.47: Showaddywaddy - Hey Mr Christmas 139.10: A Takaoka Christmas 144.20: Christmas Countdown 158.00: Wavelength - Robb Johnson - When My Grandfather Played Football 176.10: Glasvegas - Silent Night