Stephen Sama

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Stephen Sama

| image = Stephen Sama.jpg

| caption = Sama in 2014

| full_name = Stephen Sama{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/399875ceb4a34a7590d82ea228fd09a1/squad-list-publication-report---10.02.2021.pdf |title=EFL – Squad List 2020/21: Accrington Stanley – In Squad Players |publisher=English Football League |page=2 |access-date=1 March 2021}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|03|5|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bamenda, Cameroon

| height = 1.88 m

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2001–2003

| youthclubs1 = Schwarz-Weiß Eppendorf

| youthyears2 = 2003–2005

| youthclubs2 = SG Wattenscheid 09

| youthyears3 = 2005–2007

| youthclubs3 = VfL Bochum

| youthyears4 = 2007–2009

| youthclubs4 = Borussia Dortmund

| youthyears5 = 2009–2014

| youthclubs5 = Liverpool

| years1 = 2014–2017

| clubs1 = VfB Stuttgart II

| caps1 = 47

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2015–2017

| clubs2 = VfB Stuttgart

| caps2 = 4

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2017–2018

| clubs3 = Greuther Fürth

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017

| clubs4 = Greuther Fürth II

| caps4 = 8

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2018

| clubs5 = → VfL Osnabrück (loan)

| caps5 = 13

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2018–2020

| clubs6 = Heracles Almelo

| caps6 = 8

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2020–2022

| clubs7 = Accrington Stanley

| caps7 = 4

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2010 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalteam1 = Germany U17

| nationalyears2 = 2011 | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalteam2 = Germany U18

| nationalyears3 = 2011 | nationalcaps3 = 6 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalteam3 = Germany U19

| nationalyears4 = 2013 | nationalcaps4 = 5 | nationalgoals4 = 0 | nationalteam4 = Germany U20

| club-update = 17 May 2021

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Stephen Sama (born 5 March 1993) is professional footballer who last played as a centre-back for Accrington Stanley.{{Worldfootball.net|stephen-sama}} Born in Cameroon, he represented Germany at the youth international level. He is the current coach of MVPS United in the Baller League UK.

Youth career

Sama played two years of youth football for the teams of Schwarz-Weiß Eppendorf, SG Wattenscheid 09, VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund,{{cite web|url=http://www.reviersport.de/213287---liverpool-samas-ungewolltes-wiedersehen.html|title=Über die Premier League zum DFB|publisher=RevierSport|date=6 November 2012|accessdate=15 September 2014|language=German}} prior to joining Liverpool in 2009 to play for their U18 and then later, their U21 team. He signed a contract extension with Liverpool in 2011, until June 2014. Despite being at Liverpool for 5 years, he never played a senior game for the English team.{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/trio-sign-new-deals |title=Trio sign new deals |publisher=Liverpool |date=1 July 2011 |access-date=15 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112817/http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/trio-sign-new-deals |archive-date=December 24, 2013 }}

Club career

=VfB Stuttgart=

On 2 September 2014, Sama signed a contract until June 2016 with VfB Stuttgart II.{{cite web|url=http://www.vfb.de/de/aktuell/meldungen/news/2014/stephen-sama-verpflichtung/page/8530-1-3-.html|title=Stephen Sama kommt|publisher=VfB Stuttgart|date=2 September 2014|accessdate=15 September 2014|language=German}} He made his professional debut in the 3. Liga for the second team of VfB Stuttgart on 13 September 2014 in a 2–0 away victory against Hallescher FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.dfb.de/en/leagues/3-liga/?spieledb_path=%2Fen%2Fmatches%2F2211546|title=Official match report: Hallescher FC – VfB Stuttgart II|publisher=German Football Association|date=13 September 2014|accessdate=15 September 2014}} On 15 October 2015, Sama extended his contract with VfB Stuttgart until June 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.vfb.de/en/aktuell/meldungen/news/2015/vertragsverlaengerung-stephen-sama,-arianit-ferati/page/3964-1-1-.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072025/http://www.vfb.de/en/aktuell/meldungen/news/2015/vertragsverlaengerung-stephen-sama,-arianit-ferati/page/3964-1-1-.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|title=Long-term contracts|work=vfb.de|publisher=VfB Stuttgart|date=15 October 2015|access-date=15 October 2015}}

=Greuther Fürth=

On 3 January 2017, Sama joined 2. Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth on a {{frac|2|1|2}}-year contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.greuther-fuerth.de/aktuell/aktuelle-news/news-detail/article/einer-kommt-einer-geht.html|title=Einer kommt, einer geht|work=greuther-fuerth.de|publisher=SpVgg Greuther Fürth|date=3 January 2017|access-date=3 January 2017|language=German|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103103655/http://www.greuther-fuerth.de/aktuell/aktuelle-news/news-detail/article/einer-kommt-einer-geht.html|archive-date=3 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vfb.de/en/vfb/latest/newsarchive/2017/330354-stephen-sama-leaves-vfb/|title=Stephen Sama leaves VfB|publisher=VfB Stuttgart|date=3 January 2017|accessdate=3 January 2017}}

On 30 January 2018, Sama joined VfL Osnabrück on loan from Greuther Fürth until the end of the 2017–18 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.vfl.de/news/news/article/leihe-bis-sommer-sama-kommt-aus-fuerth.html|title=Leihe bis Sommer: Sama kommt aus Fürth|language=German|publisher=VfL Osnarbück|date=30 January 2018|accessdate=1 February 2018}}

=Heracles Almelo=

In July 2018 he moved to Heracles Almelo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.heracles.nl/nieuws/nieuwsbericht/12442/stephen-sama-tekent-tweejarig-contract-bij-heracles-almelo|title = Stephen Sama tekent tweejarig contract bij Heracles Almelo|date = 26 July 2018}}

=Accrington Stanley=

In September 2020 he moved to Accrington Stanley.{{Cite web|url=https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/news/2020/september/signing-defender-sama-signs-for-the-reds/|title = SIGNING: Defender Sama signs for the Reds}} Sama was released at the end of the 2021–22 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/news/2022/may/update-retained-list/|title=UPDATE: Retained list|website=www.accringtonstanley.co.uk|date=5 May 2022}}

International career

Sama was born in Cameroon and moved to Germany, receiving his German citizenship in 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/nachwuchs/0909/Artikel/interview-stephen-sama-fc-liverpool-wechsel-von-borussia-dortmund-peter-wazinski-aerger.html|title=Sama: Träumen von Torres und Gerrard|publisher=spox.com|date=21 September 2009|accessdate=15 September 2014|language=German}} Sama has played for Germany U17, U18, U19 and U20. He participated with the German under-17 team in the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round. In 2011, he appeared for the under-19 team of Germany in the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite qualification and in the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.