Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Sam Adekugbe will miss the rest of the 2025 season after suffering an Achilles tendon tear, the club announced Thursday.
Earlier this week, the 30-year-old got injured while representing Canada during a pre-Concacaf Gold Cup friendly vs. the Ivory Coast.
"Sam has demonstrated tremendous dedication and resilience in his journey back to full fitness, which makes this setback even more heartbreaking," said sporting director Axel Schuster.
"He’ll need time to process this moment, and throughout his recovery, he’ll have the unwavering support of everyone at the club. Sam is part of our family, and we’re all behind him as he begins his road to recovery."
Adekugbe re-joined Vancouver in August 2023 after featuring for Turkish top-flight side Hatayspor. A homegrown defender, he previously spent 2013-17 with Vancouver amid several loans to European clubs.
This season, Adekugbe scored three goals in 12 matches as Vancouver reached the Concacaf Champions Cup final. Led by head coach Jesper Sørensen, the Whitecaps top the Western Conference and Supporters' Shield standings.
With Adekugbe out for the year, rookie Tate Johnson is expected to be Vancouver's starting left back. This winter, the US youth international was picked No. 15 overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft.
