Vancouver Whitecaps Dealt Major Blow As Adekugbe's Season Ends Prematurely

Written by Patrick Echatah

Sam Adekugbe, a Vancouver Whitecaps defender, will miss the remainder of the 2025 campaign due to an Achilles tendon damage, the team announced on Thursday.

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The 30-year-old sustained an injury earlier this week while playing for Canada against Ivory Coast in a friendly before the Concacaf Gold Cup.

“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.”

In August 2023, Adekugbe returned to Vancouver Whitecaps after playing for Hatayspor, a top-tier Turkish team. He is a homegrown defender who formerly played for Vancouver from 2013 to 2017 while on loan at multiple European clubs.

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Adekugbe helped Vancouver Whitecaps advance to the Concacaf Champions Cup final this season by scoring three goals in 12 games.

The Whitecaps, led by head coach Jesper Sørensen, are at the top of both the Supporters’ Shield and Western Conference rankings.

Rookie Tate Johnson is anticipated to start as Vancouver’s left back since Adekugbe is gone for the season. The US youth international was selected in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft with the 15th overall choice this winter.

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