Dominic Samuel (Canadian soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Dominic Samuel

| image = Dominic Samuel, Forge FC.jpg

| image_size =

| alt = Dominic Samuel sitting on the pitch being attended by medical staff

| caption = Samuel with Forge FC in 2021

| fullname = Dominic Edmund Samuel

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|9|29}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| height = 1.78 m

| position = Right-back, Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2004–2008

| youthclubs1 = East York SC

| youthyears2 = 2008–2012

| youthclubs2 = Sigma FC

| collegeyears1 = 2012–2015

| college1 = Southern New Hampshire Penmen

| collegecaps1 = 87

| collegegoals1 = 15

| years1 = 2014

| clubs1 = Seacoast United Phantoms

| caps1 = 6

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2015

| clubs2 = Sigma FC

| caps2 =

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = Rochester Rhinos

| caps3 = 26

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017–2018

| clubs4 = Sigma FC

| caps4 = 33

| goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2019–2024

| clubs5 = Forge FC

| caps5 = 115

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = October 22, 2024

| ntupdate =

}}

Dominic Edmund Samuel (born September 29, 1994) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender.

Early life

He began playing youth soccer with East York SC.{{cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/dominic-samuel/2191|title=Dominic Samuel Southern New Hampshire profile|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}} Afterwards, he joined Sigma FC.{{Cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fc-re-signs-defender-dominic-samuel-to-multi-year-deal|title=Forge FC re-signs defender Dominic Samuel to multi-year deal|date=January 13, 2022|work=Canadian Premier League}}

College career

In 2012, he began attending Southern New Hampshire University, where he played for the men's soccer team. He scored his first collegiate goal on September 26, 2012, against the Saint Michael's Purple Knights.{{Cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/news/2012/9/26/9_26_2012_3864|title=No. 15 Men's Soccer Blanks Saint Michael's 2-0|date=September 26, 2012|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}} After his freshman season, he was named to the Northeast-10 Second Team and All-Rookie Team, as well as being a Daktronics Second Team All-Region. After his sophomore season, he was a NSCAA Second Team All-America selection, NSCAA First Team All-Region and Daktronics Second Team All-Region, Northeast-10 First Team All-Conference, and was named to the Northeast-10 and NCAA All-Championship teams. In 2014, he was a Northeast-10 First Team All-Conference Team and Northeast-10 All-Championship Team selection and was named to Daktronics Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America Second Team. As a senior he was an NSCAA First-Team All-American,{{Cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/news/2015/12/10/12_10_2015_4087.aspx|title=Five From Men's Soccer Honored by NSCAA|date=December 10, 2015|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}} CCA First-Team All-American,{{cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/news/2015/12/10/12_10_2015_4088.aspx|title=Samuel, Zucco, Tergo Capture CCA All-America Honors|date=December 10, 2015|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}} CCA All-East Region First Team,{{cite web|title=Men's Soccer Quartet Garners CCA All-East Region First Team Honors|url=https://snhupenmen.com/news/2015/11/30/11_30_2015_4086.aspx|date=November 30, 2015|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}} and Northeast-10 Defender of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/sports/2021/5/26/snhu-mens-soccer-penmen-in-the-pros.aspx|title=SNHU Men's Soccer - Penmen In The Pros|date=May 26, 2021|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}}

Club career

In 2014, he played with the Seacoast United Phantoms in the Premier Development League.{{cite web |url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/586864 |title=Eight PDL Players Earn DII First Team All-America |website=Premier Development League |date=December 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110105836/http://www.uslpdl.com/news_article/show/586864?referrer_id=2242534 |archive-date=January 10, 2017|url-status=live}}

In 2015, he played in League1 Ontario with Sigma FC. He was named the league Defender of the Year that season,{{cite web|url=http://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/598774|title=2015 Defenders Of The Year|work=League1 Ontario|date=November 23, 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontariosoccer.net/news_article/show/745859-league1-ontario-awards-defenders-of-the-year|title=League1 Ontario Awards - Defenders Of The Year|date=November 25, 2015|work=Ontario Soccer Association}} as well as being named a league First-Team All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/598777|title=2015 League1 Ontario Men's All-Stars|date=November 17, 2015|work=League1 Ontario}}

After college, Samuel trialed with Major League Soccer club New England Revolution, but ultimately did not sign with the club{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Lemieux |url=http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/post/2016/01/27/preseason-news-notes-trio-fresh-faces-join-revolution-camp-casa-grande|title=Preseason News & Notes: Trio of fresh faces join Revolution camp in Casa Grande|work=New England Revolution|date=January 27, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/forge-fc-dominic-samuel-2022-interview/|title=Samuel Keen To Keep Growing With Forge: ‘I Deserve To Be Here’|date=February 5, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} He instead joined the Rochester Rhinos in the American second-tier United Soccer League.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/629993 |title=League1 Ontario 2015 Defender Of The Year Samuel Signs With Rochester Rhinos|date=March 27, 2016|work=League1 Ontario}}{{Cite web|url=https://snhupenmen.com/news/2016/4/12/4_12_2016_4093.aspx|title=Samuel, Doublette Sign Professional Contracts to Play in USL|date=April 12, 2016|work=Southern New Hampshire Penmen}}

In 2017, he returned to Sigma FC, playing with them for two seasons.{{cite web |url=http://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/17925150 |title=Dominic Samuel 2017 L1O Stats|website=League1 Ontario}}{{cite web |title=Dominic Samuel 2018 L1O Stats|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/23885458 |publisher=League1 Ontario}} In 2018, he was named the league Defender of the Year for the second time,{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/971002|title=Samuel And Simpson Win 2018 Defender Of The Year Awards|date=November 23, 2018|work=League1 Ontario}} as well as a First-Team All-Star.{{cite web |title=Top 2018 Performers Recognized At Year-End Awards Gala |url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/971590 |publisher=League1 Ontario|date=November 26, 2018}} Over his two seasons, he scored three goals in 33 regular season appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4996416/forge-fc-coach-former-sigma-fc-players-hamilton/|title=Forge FC coach brings former Sigma FC players to Hamilton|work=Global News|first=Anthony|last=Urciuoli|date=February 25, 2019}} While with Sigma, Samuel worked 10 hour weekday shifts in a lumberyard, before heading to trainings, and five hour shifts on weekend gamedays.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1152344|title=Dominic Samuel’s ‘exhausting’ story of lumberyards & L1O|first=Marty|last=Thompson|work=League1 Ontario|date=March 15, 2021}} In 2020, he was named to the All-Time League1 Ontario Best XI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1106909|title=Reviewing L1O Men's All-Time Best XI|date=May 27, 2020|work=League1 Ontario|first=Marty|last=Thompson}}

In February 2019, Samuel signed with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC.{{cite web |title=Forge FC Signs Goalkeeper Triston Henry and Defender Dominic Samuel |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/forge-fc-signs-goalkeeper-triston-henry-and-defender-dominic-samuel/n-5451961|work=Our Sports Central|date=February 25, 2019}} In February 2021, the club picked up his club option for the 2021 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadians-kwame-awuah-dominic-samuel-return-forge-fc-2021/|title=Canadians Kwame Awuah, Dominic Samuel return to Forge FC for 2021|date=February 2, 2021|work=Sportsnet}}{{cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fc-bringing-back-canadian-defenders-awuah-and-samuel|title=Forge FC bringing back Canadian defenders Awuah and Samuel|date=February 2, 2021|work=Canadian Premier League|first=Charlie|last=O'Connor-Clarke}} He led the team in blocks and aerial duels won in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/cpl50-50-dominic-samuel-forge-fc|title=CPL50 – 50. Dominic Samuel (Forge FC)|date=December 8, 2021|work=Canadian Premier League|first=Charlie|last=O'Connor-Clarke}} In January 2022, he re-signed with the club on a new multi-year contract.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/forge-fc-dominic-samuel-2022/|title=Forge FC Re-Signs Dominic Samuel|date=January 13, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.insauga.com/forge-fc-bring-defender-dominic-samuel-back-to-hamilton/|title=Forge FC bring defender Dominic Samuel back to Hamilton|work=In The Hammer|first=Anthony|last=Urciuoli|date=January 13, 2022}} In October 2023, Samuel helped Forge win their fourth league title, following a 2–1 win over Cavalry FC in the play-off final.{{Cite web |last=Tierney |first=Mitchell |date=October 28, 2023 |title=Highlights + Analysis: Forge wins 2023 North Star Cup, defeating Cavalry to lift fourth playoff crown (Oct. 28, 2023) |url=https://onesoccer.ca/a/highlights-analysis-forge-wins-2023-north-star-cup-defeating-cavalry-to-lift-fourth-playoff-crown-oct-28-2023 |access-date=October 29, 2023 |website=OneSoccer}} After the 2024 season, he departed the club.{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/forge-fc-dominic-samuel-depart/|title=Forge Original Dominic Samuel Departs|date=December 16, 2024|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}

International career

In April 2011, Samuel attended his first Canada national team camp with the under-17 team.{{Canada Soccer player|id=2819}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Playoffs !colspan="2"\|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Seacoast United Phantoms \|2014 \|PDL	6	0	?	0	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	6	0
Sigma FC \|2015 \|League1 Ontario	?	2	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	3	0	colspan=2\|—	3+	2
Rochester Rhinos \|2016 \|USL	26	0	2	0	1	0	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	29	0
rowspan="3"\|Sigma FC \|2017 \|rowspan=2\|League1 Ontario	17	2	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	1	0	colspan=2\|—	18	2
2018	16	1	1	0	colspan=2\|—	3	0	colspan=2\|—	20	1
colspan="2"\|Total !33	3	1	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	38	3
rowspan="7" \|Forge FC \|2019 \| rowspan="6" \|Canadian Premier League	25	0	1	0	2	0	colspan=2\|—	4	0	32	0
2020	9	0	1	0	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	4	0	14	0
2021	26	0	2	0	2	0	colspan=2\|—	7	0	37	0
2022 \|18	0	3	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	2	0	24	0
2023 \|19	0	2	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	24	0
2024 \|18	0	3	0	5	0	colspan="2"\|—	2	0	28	0
colspan="2" \|Total !115	0	12	0	13	0	0	0	19	0	159	0
colspan="3" \|Career total !180	5	15	0	14	0	7	0	19	0	235	5