Sam Adekugbe

Samuel Ayomide Adekugbe (born January 16, 1995) is a professional soccer player who plays as a left-back for Süper Lig club Galatasaray, on loan from Hatayspor, and the Canada national team. Born in England, he obtained Canadian citizenship in 2016.[4]

Sam Adekugbe
Adekugbe playing for Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Samuel Ayomide Adekugbe[1]
Date of birth (1995-01-16) January 16, 1995
Place of birth London, England
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2][3]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Galatasaray
(on loan from Hatayspor)
Number 32
Youth career
1998–2000 Manchester United Grassroots Program
2000–2004 AFC Clayton
2004–2011 Calgary Foothills
2011–2013 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 3 (0)
2015–2016 Whitecaps FC 2 6 (0)
2013–2017 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 16 (0)
2016–2017 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 1 (0)
2017 → IFK Göteborg (loan) 9 (0)
2018 Vålerenga 2 1 (0)
2018–2021 Vålerenga 89 (0)
2021– Hatayspor 52 (0)
2023– → Galatasaray (loan) 6 (0)
International career‡
2013 Canada U18 1 (0)
2014–2015 Canada U20 6 (0)
2015– Canada 39 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 30, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 28, 2023

Club career

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On August 28, 2013, Adekugbe signed a Generation Adidas homegrown contract with MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps FC, making him the seventh homegrown signing in club history.[5] He made his professional debut on October 27 in the final game of the 2013 season which ended in a 3–0 victory over Colorado Rapids.[6]

Loan to Brighton & Hove Albion

During Winter 2015, Adekugbe was invited to train at English Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion.[7] On July 15, 2016, Adekugbe transferred to Brighton on a season-long loan deal agreement, initially linking up with the club's development squad.[8] On August 9, 2016, Adekugbe started in the 4–0 victory over Colchester United in the 2016–17 EFL Cup.[9] On August 23, 2016, Adekugbe scored his first professional goal in a 4–2 victory over Oxford United in the second round of the 2016–17 EFL Cup.[10]

On January 14, 2017, Adekugbe started his first Championship game in a 2–0 defeat against Preston North End.[11]

Loan to IFK Göteborg

Adekugbe joined Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg on loan on July 25, 2017, for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for the club.[12] He made his debut against IFK Norrköping in a 4–1 win on July 30.

Vålerenga

On January 8, 2018, Eliteserien club Vålerenga announced they had signed Adekugbe to a four-year deal.[13] He made his debut against Kristiansund on March 12, 2018[14] In 3.5 seasons with the Oslo club, Adekugbe would play 94 games.[15]

Hatayspor

On June 18, 2021, it was announced Adekugbe had signed a three-year deal with Turkish Süper Lig side Hatayspor, effective August 1, 2021.[16] He made his debut on August 14 against Kasımpaşa.[17]

Loan to Galatasaray

On 17 February 2023, he signed a loan contract with Galatasaray until the end of the 2022–23 season.[18]

International career

Adekugbe was eligible to represent England, Nigeria or Canada internationally. In 2012, he was quoted saying he dreamed of playing for England at Wembley.[19] However, he has represented Canada at youth and senior level.

Youth

Adekugbe was part of Canada's U-18 squad for the 2013 COTIF U-20 tournament from August 11 to 21.[5] After a successful 2014 campaign with Vancouver, Adekugbe was called up to the U20 squad by coach Rob Gale on November 7, 2014.[20] He made his debut for the side against England on November 12 in a 1–1 draw. In January 2015 he would participate with Canada in the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[21]

Senior

Adekugbe received his first call up to the Canada senior team for two friendlies against Mauritania in September 2013, though he did not feature in either match. [22] He made his debut two years later in a against Belize on September 8, 2015.[23] In June 2017 Adekugbe was named to Canada's squad for that year's CONCACAF Gold Cup.[24]

On November 16, 2021, during Canada's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Mexico at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium, Adekugbe celebrated Cyle Larin's 52nd-minute goal by diving backward into a pitchside snow bank. The celebration subsequently went viral.[25] He scored his first goal for Canada in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the United States on January 30, 2022.[26] In November 2022, Adekugbe was named to the 2022 FIFA World Cup team for Canada.[27]

Personal life

Adekugbe was born in London to parents with Nigerian heritage and lived in England until 10, when his family moved to Calgary, Alberta in Western Canada.[28] His younger brother Elijah is also a professional soccer player. He is a fan of Manchester City.[19]

Adekugbe received his Canadian permanent residency status on August 23, 2013, which qualifies him as a domestic player on Canadian clubs for MLS roster purposes.[29] He became a Canadian citizen in 2016.[30]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played April 30, 2023[31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 2013 PDL 30–––1[lower-alpha 1]040
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2013 MLS 10–00––10
2014 4000––0040
2015 9010–4[lower-alpha 2]000140
2016 2020–00–40
Total 16030004000230
Whitecaps FC 2 2015 USL 20––––20
2016 40–––0040
Total 600000000060
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2016–17 Championship 102021––51
IFK Göteborg (loan) 2017 Allsvenskan 9010–––100
Vålerenga 2 2018 Norwegian Second Division 10––––10
Vålerenga 2018 Eliteserien 27020–––290
2019 24010–––250
2020 26000–––260
2021 12000–2[lower-alpha 3]0–140
Total 89030002000940
Hatayspor 2021–22 Süper Lig 34030–––370
2022–23 18010–––190
Total 52040000000560
Galatasaray (loan) 2022–23 Süper Lig 6000–––60
Career total 18301302160102051
  1. Appearance in PDL Play-offs
  2. Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International
As of match played March 28, 2023[32]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Canada 201520
201610
201730
201810
201920
202020
2021130
2022131
202320
Total391
As of January 30, 2022
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Adekugbe goal.[32]
List of international goals scored by Sam Adekugbe
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1January 30, 2022Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton, Canada26 United States2–02–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification

References
  1. "40-Player National Team Roster: 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup: Canada" (PDF). CONCACAF. p. 2. Retrieved May 20, 2019 – via Bernews.
  2. "Samuel Adekugbe". Canada Soccer. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  3. "Samuel Adekugbe: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  4. "Sam Adekugbe Biography, Siblings, Age, Net Worth, Height, Latest News Updates". Naija News 247. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  5. "Whitecaps FC add Homegrown defender Sam Adekugbe to MLS roster". WhitecapsFC.com. Vancouver Whitecaps FC. August 28, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  6. Devji, Farhan (October 27, 2013). "Camilo hat-trick carries Vancouver Whitecaps FC to 3-0 win over Colorado Rapids in 2013 season finale". WhitecapsFC.com. Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  7. "Whitecaps FC defender Sam Adekugbe training with Brighton". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. November 26, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  8. "Canadian International arrives on loan". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  9. "Match Report". Brighton & Hove Albion Official Website. August 9, 2016.
  10. "Match Report". Brighton & Hove Albion Official Website. August 23, 2016. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016.
  11. "Mixed feelings for Adekugbe after defeat on league debut". The Argus. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  12. "SAM ADEKUGBEKLAR FÖRIFK GÖTEBORG". July 25, 2017. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017.
  13. "Kanadisk landslagsspiller klar for Vålerenga". Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  14. "JOHNSON MATCHVINNER I ELITESERIEDEBUTEN". March 12, 2018.
  15. "Sams Siste Kamp I Kongeblatt". Vålerenga. July 29, 2021.
  16. "Adekugbe solgt til tyrkisk fotball". Vålerenga.
  17. Hatayspor [@Hatayspor_FK] (August 14, 2021). "Kasımpaşa karşısında ilk 11'imiz #DahaAsiDahaGüçlü #Başlıyoruz #HTYvKSM" (Tweet). Retrieved August 17, 2021 – via Twitter.
  18. "Samuel Ayomide Adekugbe Galatasaray'da!". Galatasaray S.K. February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  19. Weber, Marc (April 12, 2012). "GOAL!: Q&A with Whitecaps residency player Sam Adekugbe". canada.com. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
  20. "Canada M20 to face England, Russia and USA on road to 2015 CONCACAF Championship". Canada Soccer. November 7, 2014.
  21. Rowaan, Dave (January 5, 2014). "Canada names squad for CONCACAF U20 Championships".
  22. "Canada names large squad for first camp under Floro". Canada Soccer. August 27, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  23. "Team KidSport: Sam Adekugbe". July 17, 2020.
  24. Tierney, Mitchell (June 27, 2017). "Lucas Cavallini in, Will Johnson out as Canada names 2017 Gold Cup roster".
  25. Psihogios, Steven. "Canadian soccer team goes viral for snow celebration in wild win over Mexico". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  26. Thompson, Marty (January 30, 2022). "'What Canada deserves': CanMNT take emotional World Cup qualifying win over U.S. as Qatar nears". Canadian Premier League.
  27. O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (November 13, 2022). "Canada announces 26-man squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar". Canadian Premier League.
  28. Sam Adekugbe at the Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  29. "Whitecaps FC add Homegrown defender Sam Adekugbe to MLS roster". Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
  30. Naylor, Andy (July 15, 2016). "Albion add third defender to under-21s". The Argus. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  31. Sam Adekugbe at Soccerway. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  32. Sam Adekugbe at National-Football-Teams.com
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