Taribo West

Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a Nigerian pastor and 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, Inter Milan and AC Milan.

He also appeared in the top-level leagues of England and Germany.

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.

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.

At international level, West won 42 caps for Nigeria between 1994 and 2005, taking part in two World Cups and two African Championships.

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.

He also represented his country at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal.

Born in Port Harcourt, West was discovered by Monday Sinclair, who recruited him to play for Sharks.

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.

In June 1997, West was transferred to Italian side Inter Milan, on a four-year deal.

He made his competitive debut for the club in a 1–0 Coppa Italia victory over Foggia on 3 September 1997.

Subsequently, West scored his first goal for Inter in a 2–1 Serie A win against Atalanta on 9 November 1997.

He also scored the extra time winning goal against Schalke 04 in the 1997–98 UEFA Cup quarter-finals.

Eventually, Inter won the competition led by Ronaldo and Iván Zamorano, with West being sent off in the final against Lazio.

In the next season, West made 21 league appearances, as the club missed securing a spot in UEFA competitions.

He failed to make any appearance in the 1999–2000 season, being three times an unused substitute.

In the 2000 winter transfer window, West switched to Inter's crosstown rivals AC Milan.

He made his debut for the club on 24 March 2000, coming on as an injury time substitute for Andriy Shevchenko in 2–0 win over Juventus.

On 14 May 2000, West managed to score his only goal for Milan in a 4–0 victory over Udinese.

In November 2000, West moved to English club Derby County, on an initial three-month loan.

He made his debut for the Rams on 18 November 2000, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home league win over Bradford City which was Derby's first league win of the season.

In January 2001, West signed an extension to stay with the Derbyshire side until the end of the 2000–01 season.

He helped the team avoid relegation, making 18 appearances, as Derby won 31 out of their 42 total points with him in the lineup.

In May 2001, West eventually left the club because of his "international commitments".

In November 2001, West joined German club 1. FC Kaiserslautern on a free transfer.

He made his debut for the team in a 5–1 home league win over St. Pauli on 17 November 2001, starting the match and earning a yellow card in the process, before being substituted in the 81st minute.

He made a total of 10 league appearances in the 2001–02 season.

In April 2002, West was released by the club due to their "total disagreement".

In August 2002, West trained with English side Manchester City for 10 days.

He eventually failed to get a contract due to lack of fitness.

On 24 January 2003, it was announced that West will join the reigning FR Yugoslavia champions Partizan.

He arrived in Belgrade for the final negotiations with the club five days later.

On 30 January 2003, West signed an 18-month contract with Partizan.