# Abdou Samaké

Abdoulaye Gilbert Samaké (born 7 October 1996) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a defender who plays for Glacis United in the Gibraltar Football League.

## Early life

Samaké was born in Bamako, Mali and moved to Canada, at the age of six. He initially moved to Montreal, but soon after moved to Ottawa, where he was raised. Samaké began playing youth soccer with the Gloucester Hornets, before joining Ottawa South United. Afterwards, he joined the Montreal Impact Academy.

## College career

In February 2016, he committed to join Michigan University and play for the men's soccer team in the fall. He missed his entire freshman season in 2016 due to injury. He made his debut on August 25, 2017 against the William & Mary Tribe. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection from 2017 to 2019 and a two-time University of Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement selection in 2017 and 2018. In his senior season, he was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Tournament Team and was named Michigan's Club Man of the Year. He was able to graduate a semester early in January 2020, completing his degree in the School of Literature, Science and the Arts program.

## Club career

In July 2015, Samaké signed with the Impact's reserve side, FC Montreal, in the USL.
In 2016, he played with the Chicago Fire U23 in the Premier Development League.
In 2017 and 2018, he played in the Premier Development League with Chicago FC United (who replaced the Fire U23, who chose to depart the league, with many of the players and staff moving on to United).
In 2019, Samaké spent the season with AFC Ann Arbor of the National Premier Soccer League.
In February 2020, he signed with Pacific FC on the Canadian Premier League. In 2021, he won the CPL title with Pacific, although he did not play in the championship final due to injury suffered in the semi-final. In February 2022, he re-signed with the club for another season. In August 2022, he was named to the CPL Team of the Week. After the 2022 season, he departed the club.
In December 2022, he joined Valour FC for the 2023 season. On May 13, 2023, he scored his first CPL goal against Forge FC. In June 2024, he terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent.

## Personal life

In 2023, Samaké founded Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg, an organization for children from the ages of six to eighteen, where they can come after school, get a meal, be with friends, and play games.

## Career statistics

    As of June 9, 2024
Club statistics :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Playoffs | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Domestic Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FC Montreal | 2015 | USL | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Fire U23 | 2016 | Premier Development League | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Chicago FC United | 2017 | Premier Development League | 10 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Chicago FC United | 2018 | Premier Development League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 1 |
| Chicago FC United | Total | Total | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| AFC Ann Arbor | 2019 | National Premier Soccer League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Pacific FC | 2020 | Canadian Premier League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Pacific FC | 2021 | Canadian Premier League | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Pacific FC | 2022 | Canadian Premier League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Pacific FC | Total | Total | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 0 |
| Valour FC | 2023 | Canadian Premier League | 17 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 1 |
| Valour FC | 2024 | Canadian Premier League | 3 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Valour FC | Total | Total | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 94 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 106 | 3 |

## Honours
### Club

Pacific FC
* Canadian Premier League: 2021