The dream of every footballer is to play the game of his passion on the world’s very biggest stage and the joy of every mother is to be there to see her child fly in the shining colours of a whole nation. For Samuel Adekugbe, yesterday was the crossing of the threshold of that childhood dream to fulfillment.
A video of his jubilant mother, Dee Adekugbe screaming at the top of her voice while watching her son being brought into the game, has been going viral on the internet
Born in London, United Kingdom to Nigerian parents, Samuel Adekugbe is a Canadian professional football player who debuted in the World cup in Qatar yesterday, in a Canadian national team shirt. His family moved to Canada when he was nine years old.
The 27-year-old left-back who played the last 16 minutes of the game that saw Canada lose to Belgium 0-1, was eligible to represent England, Nigeria, or Canada, but Sam eventually chose The Canucks.
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. He made his debut two years later against Belize on September 8, 2015. In June 2017 Adekugbe was named to Canada’s squad for that year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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. He scored his first goal for Canada in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the United States on January 30, 2022. In November 2022, Adekugbe was named to the 2022 FIFA World Cup team for Canada.
- Tags: Canada, England, Nigeria, Qatar 2022, World Cup
