Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is best remembered for his various unusual and colourful hairstyles.After winning several major trophies with Auxerre in French football, West went on to play for both Milanese clubs, Internazionale and Milan. He also appeared in the top level leagues of England and Germany.Internationally, West made 42 caps for Nigeria between 1994 and 2005, being a member of the team in two World Cups and two African Championships. He also represented his country at the 1996 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal.
Internationally, West made 42 caps for Nigeria between 1994 and 2005, being a member of the team in two World Cups and two African Championships. He also represented his country at the 1996 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal.
CLUB CAREER
Early years
Born in Port Harcourt, West was discovered by Monday Sinclair, who recruited him to play for Sharks. He started playing professionally with Obanta United in 1989, before returning to Sharks in 1990. West then played for Enugu Rangers in 1991, before joining Julius Berger in 1992.
Auxerre
Following successful trials in early 1993, West joined French side Auxerre led by Guy Roux. He was on the bench during a 2–2 UEFA Cup draw against Tenerife on 15 September 1993, but failed to make his debut. West eventually played his first competitive game for the club in a 0–0 away league draw at Toulouse on 5 March 1994. He became a first team regular in the following season, making 31 appearances in all competitions. In the 1995–96 season, West helped Auxerre win their first league title in the club’s history, alongside such players as Laurent Blanc and Sabri Lamouchi, among others. They also won the national cup, thus collecting the double. West subsequently made seven appearances in the 1996–97 UEFA Champions League, as the club was eliminated in the quarter-finals by the eventual champions Borussia Dortmund.
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
West was a member of the Flying Eagles at the 1993 African Youth Championship. He then went on to earn 42 full international caps for Nigeria, making his debut in a 1–3 loss to Sweden on 5 May 1994. West was also a member of the Olympic squad that won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He played every single minute of the tournament. Two years later, West was named in the 22-man squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, together with Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, and others. They reached the second stage of the tournament, being eliminated by Denmark in the round of 16.
In the 2000 African Cup of Nations, West played the full 90 minutes in all of Nigeria’s games in the competition, as they finished runners-up to Cameroon. He also represented his country in the tournament’s 2002 edition, finishing in third place. Additionally, West was a member of the team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He made two appearances in the “Group of Death”, as Nigeria finished bottom of the table, behind Sweden, England and Argentina. After the tournament, Nigeria coach Festus Onigbinde blamed West for the team’s failure, stating that the player “flouted’ his instructions.
In January 2004, West suffered an injury during the team’s training session that ruled him out of the African Cup of Nations. He returned to the national team on 17 August 2005, making his final appearance for the Super Eagles in a friendly against Libya.
HONOURS
Club
Auxerre
- Championnat de France: 1995–96
- Coupe de France: 1993–94, 1995–96
Internazionale
- UEFA Cup: 1997–98
Partizan
- First League of Serbia and Montenegro: 2002–03
International
Nigeria
- Olympic Games: 1996
- Africa Cup of Nations: Runner-up 2000
- ^ Taribo West at National-Football-Teams.com
- African Nations Cup 2000 – Final Tournament Details at RSSSF
