We're back with our first show of 2022 and what better way to kick off the new year than with another packed episode of the AFTN Soccer Show and another of our end of season reviews, this time turning our attention to the stellar year that was had by the Canadian men's national team.
Canada started the year 72nd in the world in the FIFA rankings and they finished it in 40th, their joint highest ever which they also reached in December 1996. The national team played 19 matches last year. All of them competitive games, with not a friendly in site. Crazy really considering how little they've played in some recent years.
There were 14 World Cup qualifiers and 5 Gold Cup matches, producing 13 wins, 4 draws, and just 2 defeats, both of those coming at the hands of traditional CONCACAF powerhouses of the US and Mexico and both of those came at the Gold Cup. Canada scored 55 goals, conceding just 11, with 16 different goalscorers.
2021 was a great year, but hopefully it's just the start of even bigger and better things for Canada. We delve into all of that and a lot more, plus we chat with CPL coaches Bobby Smyrniotis, Tommy Wheeldon Jr, and Jim Brennan to look at how the success of the national team has driven an excitement locally for the CPL teams.
Episode 614 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Cracks In The Ground - LAFC v Whitecaps, Can Champ, Messi mania in Montreal, TFC postgame madness)
Episode 613 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Celebrations and Consternations - Whitecaps v Austin, TSS heartbreak, Can Champ, CMNT coaching search, Vancouver and FIFA 2026)
Episode 612 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Chasing The Dragon - Red Bulls v Whitecaps, Wrexham AFC head to Vancouver, Katie Collar interview)
Episode 611 - The AFTN Soccer Show (The Running of the Bulls - NYRB v Whitecaps preview, Brian White homecoming, Bovalina signing, CanChamp, Todd May)
Episode 610 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Bringing Back Rock and Roll Football - Seattle v Vancouver, CPL Commissioner Mark Noonan, Matteo Campagna, TSS Rovers)
Episode 609 – The AFTN Soccer Show (I Dreamt I Was Alone In A Crowded Place with special guest Callum Irving)
Episode 608 - The AFTN Soccer Show (No More Shuffling In The Shadows - Whitecaps demolish TFC, Vanni Sartini, John Herdman, CPL Season Preview)
Episode 607 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Ringing The Bell of Hope with guests Kamal Miller, Maxime Crepeau, Zach Verhoven and Moses Dyer)
Episode 606 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Listening To The Raindrops - Whitecaps vs RSL, Canada Copa bound, VFC preseason, sh!t kits)
Episode 605 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Sunlight Through Our Window with guests Matias Laborda, Elage Bah, and Afshin Ghotbi)
Episode 604 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Set Like Jewels In Eternity with guests Stuart Neely and Belal Halbouni)
Episode 603 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Is Blue The Colour Of The Season? with Axel Schuster and Scott Arfield)
Episode 602 - The AFTN Soccer Show (I Lay On My Bed With My Hands On My Head)
Episode 601 - The AFTN Soccer Show (It's All About To Kick Off)
Episode 600 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Here Until The Whistle Blows with guests Vanni Sartini and Gabriel Bitar)
Episode 599 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Let The Fun Begin with David Norman and Vanni Sartini)
Episode 598 - The AFTN Soccer Show (The Effects Unknown - CSB v Mediapro court battle, Gauld re-signs, Paris Gee, TJ Tahid)
Episode 597 - The AFTN Soccer Show (He Moves Like a Generator with special guests Fafa Picault and Grady McDonnell)
Episode 596 - The AFTN Soccer Show (So Many Colourful Rays with special guests Damir Kreilach and Ben Fisk)
Episode 595 - The AFTN Soccer Show (If Words Could Make Wishes Come True with special guest Axel Schuster)
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