Xavier Samin
{{Short description|French footballer (born 1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Xavier Samin
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|01|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tahiti, French Polynesia
| height = 1.84 m
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 1986–2000 |youthclubs1 = AS Tefana
| years1 = 2000–2012 |clubs1 = AS Tefana |caps1 = |goals1 =
| years2 = 2012–2013 |clubs2 = AS Dragon |caps2 = |goals2 =
| years3 = 2013–2016 |clubs3 = AS Tefana |caps3 = |goals3 =
| nationalyears1 = 2001–2013
| nationalteam1 = Tahiti
| nationalcaps1 = 28
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| medaltemplates = {{medalSport|Men's football}}
{{Medal|Country|{{fb|TAH}}}}
{{MedalComp|OFC Nations Cup}}
{{Medal|W|2012 Solomon Islands|}}
{{Medal|3rd|2002 New Zealand|}}
{{MedalComp|Pacific Games}}
{{Medal|3rd|2011 New Caledonia|}}
}}
Xavier Samin (born 1 January 1978) is a French former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AS Tefana and AS Dragon in the Tahiti Division Fédérale{{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/xavier-samin/ |title=Xavier Samin |website=Worldfootball.net |date=1 January 1978 |access-date=18 August 2023}} and the Tahiti national team.{{NFT player|6483}}
Career
Samin started playing football at the age of eight at AS Tefana. Ten years later he was promoted to Tefana's main adult team, on which he remains to date. In 17 seasons with Tefana, Samin won the Tahiti First Division three times, as well as five Tahiti Cups and the 2007 Tahiti Coupe des Champions.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/players/player=213073/profile.html |title=FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 |access-date=17 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617051220/http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/players/player=213073/profile.html |archive-date=17 June 2013 }} Outside of the field, Samin works as a football teacher,{{cite web|author=Igor Resende |url=http://www.espn.com.br/noticia/336457_desempregados-vendedor-de-celular-e-ate-alpinista-as-profissoes-dos-jogadores-do-taiti |title=Desempregados, vendedor de celular e até alpinista: as profissões dos jogadores do Taiti |website=ESPN.com.br |date=17 June 2013 |access-date=24 June 2016}} and an accountant.{{cite web|author=Ítalo Ridney |url=http://www.pe.superesportes.com.br/app/noticias/campeonatos/copa-das-confederacoes/copa2013-noticias/18,504,1,991/2013/06/15/noticia,253746/candidato-a-pagar-o-pato.shtml |title=Candidato a pagar o pato - Copa das Confederações 2013 |website=Pe.superesportes.com.br |access-date=24 June 2016}}
The first caps for Samin in the Tahitian squad were in 2000. He has since taken part in four FIFA World Cup qualification tournaments, and was a major part of the Tahitian title of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup. Starting the competition as a backup goalkeeper to Mickaël Roche, Samin was promoted to a starting position in the third match, a 4–1 win against Vanuatu. He was also the starting goalkeeper for the next two matches, keeping a clean sheet in the semifinal match against Solomon Islands and in the final against New Caledonia, both won by 1–0. His long experience with the "To'a Aitos" made defensive midfielder Lorenzo Tehau declare that "I’ve played with Samin since I was a kid. He’s like my dad."{{cite news|url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/sports/soccer/tahitis-miracle-almost-at-estadio-mineirao.html?from=sports|title=A Soccer Win for Tahiti? A Goal Would Be Terrific|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=24 June 2016}}
The OFC Nations Cup qualified Tahiti for its first international competition, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. There Samin played in the team's first game, a 6–1 defeat to Nigeria in Belo Horizonte.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/matches/round=255199/match=300222458/summary.html |title=FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013: Tahiti 1:6 (0:3) Nigeria - Summary |access-date=17 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620193312/http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/matches/round=255199/match=300222458/summary.html? |archive-date=20 June 2013 }} He also wrote a fight song for the Tahitian squad, "Song of the To’a Aitos".{{cite web|author=Ítalo Ridney |url=http://www.superesportes.com.br/app/1,991/2013/06/12/noticia,253516/taiti-lanca-sua-musica-para-a-copa-das-confederacoes.shtml |title=Taiti lança sua música para a Copa das Confederações - Copa das Confederações 2013 |website=Superesportes.com.br |access-date=24 June 2016}}
Honours
Tahiti
- OFC Nations Cup: 2012;{{Cite web|url=https://www.besoccer.com/Competition/squads/ofc_nations_cup/2012|title=2012 OFC Nations Cup-Tahiti Squad|access-date=October 31, 2024}} 3rd place 2002{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/02oc.html|title=Oceania Nations Cup 2002|access-date=October 31, 2024}}
- Pacific Games: 3rd place 2011{{Cite web|url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/5a2943be-2b1b-4b32-8b05-1e24c540c72c/language/en-US/Default.aspx|title=Football at the 2011 Pacific Games-Tahiti Squad|access-date=October 31, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Tahiti squads
| bg = red
| fg = #FFFFFF
| list =
{{Tahiti squad 2002 OFC Nations Cup}}
{{Tahiti squad 2004 OFC Nations Cup}}
{{Tahiti squad 2012 OFC Nations Cup}}
{{Tahiti squad 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samin, Xavier}}
Category:French Polynesian men's footballers
Category:Tahiti men's international footballers
Category:2004 OFC Nations Cup players
Category:2002 OFC Nations Cup players
Category:2012 OFC Nations Cup players
Category:2013 FIFA Confederations Cup players