Samuel Tesfagabr
Samuel Tesfagabr | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eritrea |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Eritrea national football team, Gold Coast United, Adelaide Blue Eagles |
Samuel Tesfagabr is a professional footballer from Eritrea who sought asylum in Australia after defecting during an international tournament held in Kenya. He was later contracted by the A-League club Gold Coast United during their concluding season. By 2016, he was playing for Adelaide Blue Eagles competing in the National Premier Leagues South Australia.
Escape from Eritrea
As a member of the Eritrea national football team, Tesfagabr participated in the 2009 CECAFA Cup hosted in Kenya, featuring in the group stage match which ended in a 2-1 loss against Rwanda. Following the return flight, none of the Eritrean players, including Tesfagabr, were aboard, triggering an investigation by Eritrean officials. For ten days, Tesfagabr and his fellow teammates remained hidden in Nairobi before traveling approximately 800 kilometers to a refugee camp. After spending eight months there, they obtained refugee status and were subsequently resettled in Adelaide, Australia.
Career in Australia
Upon settling in Australia, Tesfagabr joined Western Strikers SC in the FFSA Super League alongside three other Eritrean refugees. Concurrently, he was employed at a local switchboard manufacturing company. During the 2011–12 season, Tesfagabr and compatriot Ambesager Yosief signed with the A-League side Gold Coast United, although Tesfagabr did not feature in any official matches. Following that season, Gold Coast United lost its license and was disbanded. In 2013, he transferred to the Adelaide Comets, competing in the FFSA Super League. By 2016, Tesfagabr had joined the Adelaide Blue Eagles, who had finished as runners-up in the previous campaign of what had evolved into the National Premier Leagues South Australia.
In 2016, Tesfagabr obtained Australian citizenship.