Ex Arsenal and France striker, Thierry Henry, has revealed that former Nigerian defender, Taribo West, was the player he feared and hated going up against in his football career.
According to the Daily Mail, Henry said:
‘I will go with, direct opponent. I will go back in the days; Taribo West,’ Henry said on CBS during their Champions League coverage. ‘He was following you everywhere, even in the dressing room.’
Indeed, Taribo West was a really fierce defender in his playing days. He was most famous for playing for Inter Milan with his trademark black and blue braids in the colors of the Italian team. He was extremely strong and hardly got beaten off any challenge.
Taribo had a storied career in both the Super Eagles of Nigeria and on the books of Partizan Belgrade, Auxerre, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Derby County and Plymouth Argle.
It is hard to forget that Taribo West was a major player in the Nigerian U23 “Dream Team” that won the Olympics Soccer Gold Medal in Atlanta, USA in 1996.
He also played in the 1998, 2002 World Cups for Nigeria
Taribo grew up in Port Harcourt, Nigeria where he mastered the art of tough street football that guided him throughout his career.
Now retired, Taribo West is now a Pastor in Lagos, Nigeria.
