Randy Samuel facts for kids

Randolph FitzGerald Samuel (born 23 December 1963) is a former soccer player. He was born in Trinidad but played for Canada. Randy was a defender. He played in 82 international games for the Canadian national team. This was a record for Canada until 2010.

He started his career with teams in Canada. Later, he played for big clubs in the Netherlands. These included PSV Eindhoven and FC Volendam. He also played for Fortuna Sittard. In 1995, he moved to England to play for Port Vale. After that, he played in Norway and then returned to North America. He played for teams like the Vancouver 86ers and the Montreal Impact.

Randy Samuel played for Canada from 1983 to 1997. He was part of the team that played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. This was Canada's only time in the World Cup finals. He also helped Canada win the 1990 North American Nations Cup and the 1985 CONCACAF Championship. In 2012, he was named to Canada's all-time best men's soccer team.

Randy Samuel's Club Career

Playing in North America

Samuel was born in Trinidad. He grew up in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. He started his professional soccer journey in 1983. His first team was the Edmonton Eagles. They played in the Canadian Professional Soccer League.

In 1984, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps. However, he did not play any games for them. He soon went back to play for the Edmonton Eagles.

Playing in the Netherlands

In 1985, Randy moved to the Netherlands. He joined PSV Eindhoven, a top team in the Eredivisie. The Eredivisie is the highest soccer league in the Netherlands. PSV Eindhoven won the league in 1986 and 1987. Samuel played five games for them during this time.

In 1987, he moved to FC Volendam. This team had just moved up to the top league. He became an important player for Volendam. He played many games for them until 1990. Then, he joined Fortuna Sittard, another team in the same league. Fortuna Sittard stayed in the top league for a few years. But in 1993, they moved down to the second division, called the Eerste Divisie. Randy left the club and the country in 1994.

Playing in England

In November 1995, Randy Samuel joined Port Vale in England. They were in the First Division, a high league at the time. He scored a goal in his very first game for the team. This was a 1–1 draw against Watford.

Soon after, he got a knee injury. This kept him from playing for a while. After he recovered, he did not play much for the first team. He left Port Vale in May 1996. He had played only ten games for them.

Playing in Norway and Back to North America

After leaving England, Randy went to Norway. He played for Harstad IL in 1997. This team was in the Norwegian First Division. However, the team moved down to a lower league.

In 1998, he returned to Canada. He signed with the Vancouver 86ers. This team played in the A-League in North America. The 86ers made it to the playoffs that year. In 1999, he went back to play for Harstad in Norway again.

In 2000, he returned to the A-League in North America. He played for the Hampton Roads Mariners. He finished his professional playing career in 2001. His last team was the Montreal Impact. He played four games for them.

Randy Samuel's International Career

Playing for Canada's National Team

Randy Samuel played his first game for Canada on 11 November 1983. This was a game against Honduras. He played many friendly games after that. A friendly game is a game that does not count for a championship.

In 1985, he played in the 1985 CONCACAF Championship. Canada won this championship. This was a very important win for Canadian soccer. It also meant Canada would go to the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is the biggest soccer tournament in the world.

The 1986 FIFA World Cup

The 1986 World Cup was held in Mexico. Randy Samuel played in all three of Canada's games. Canada lost to France, Hungary, and the Soviet Union. This was Canada's only time playing in the World Cup finals.

Later International Games

Randy continued to play for Canada. He helped Canada win the 1990 North American Nations Cup. He also played in the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Gold Cup is another big tournament for teams in North and Central America.

He played in games to try and qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Canada played well but did not make it to the finals. In 1993, he played in the 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup. One game was a big loss to Mexico.

Randy Samuel played his last international games trying to qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played many games in these qualifiers. His last game for Canada was on 16 November 1997. It was a game against Costa Rica.

Randy Samuel played 82 games for Canada. This was a record for the Canadian national team for a long time. Paul Stalteri broke his record in 2010. In 2006, Randy Samuel was added to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for great Canadian soccer players.

Randy Samuel's Coaching Career

In 2010, Randy Samuel became a coach. He was the head coach for Lobbans FC. This team plays in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League. He also has his own soccer business in Surrey, British Columbia.

Randy Samuel's Honours

Randy Samuel won several awards and championships during his career:

PSV Eindhoven

• Eredivisie: 1985–86, 1986–87

Canada

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 1985
• North American Nations Cup: 1990
• Aubrey Sanford Meritorious Service Award: 2001

See also

In Spanish: Randy Samuel para niños