Canadian soccer player
Dominic Edmund Samuel (born September 29, 1994) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League.
Early life
He began playing youth soccer with East York SC.[1] Afterwards, he joined Sigma FC.[2]
College career
In 2012, he began attending Southern New Hampshire University, where he played for the men's soccer team.[1] He scored his first collegiate goal on September 26, 2012, against the Saint Michael's Purple Knights.[3] 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.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1] As a senior he was an NSCAA First-Team All-American,[4] CCA First-Team All-American,[5] CCA All-East Region First Team,[6] and Northeast-10 Defender of the Year.[7]
Club career
In 2014, he played with the Seacoast United Phantoms in the Premier Development League.[8]
In 2015, he played in League1 Ontario with Sigma FC. He was named the league Defender of the Year that season,[9][10] as well as being named a league First-Team All-Star.[11]
After college, Samuel trialed with Major League Soccer club New England Revolution, but ultimately did not sign with the club[12][13] He instead joined the Rochester Rhinos in the American second-tier United Soccer League.[14][15]
In 2017, he returned to Sigma FC, playing with them for two seasons.[16][17] In 2018, he was named the league Defender of the Year for the second time,[18] as well as a First-Team All-Star.[19] Over his two seasons, he scored three goals in 33 regular season appearances.[20] While with Sigma, Samuel worked 10 hour weekday shifts in a lumberyard, before heading to trainings, and five hour shifts on weekend gamedays.[21] In 2020, he was named to the All-Time League1 Ontario Best XI.[22]
In February 2019, Samuel signed with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC.[23] In February 2021, the club picked up his club option for the 2021 season.[24][25] He led the team in blocks and aerial duels won in 2021.[26] In January 2022, he re-signed with the club on a new multi-year contract.[27][28] In October 2023, Samuel helped Forge win their fourth league title, following a 2–1 win over Cavalry FC in the play-off final.[29]
International career
In April 2011, Samuel attended his first Canada national team camp with the under-17 team.[30]
