What Brazilian football legend Ronaldo said about Nigerian defender Taribo West

• Taribo West was 1 of the top defenders successful the 90s arsenic helium besides went connected to stock the aforesaid dressing country with Ronaldo de Lima
• The Brazilian, who goes by the moniker, 'O Fenomeno, admitted however hard it was playing against the Nigerian defender
• Both superstars played unneurotic astatine the Italian nine Inter Milan, arsenic they besides played against each different astatine planetary level

Nigerian football fable Taribo West was 1 of the top defenders during his progressive playing days and helium adjacent shared the aforesaid dressing country with the Brazilian phenomenon, Ronaldo de Lima.

The brace were teammates astatine Italian nine Inter Milan, but Ronaldo erstwhile explained that they had met galore years earlier.

West enjoyed occurrence during his astir 15-year nonrecreational shot career, during which helium played against immoderate of the top strikers of the time, including Ronaldo.

Taribo West and Ronaldo de Lima were teammates astatine Inter. Photo: Gerd Scheewel.
Source: Getty Images

He was conscionable 19 erstwhile helium moved to Europe successful 1993 to motion with the French nine Auxerre. Before that, helium had been a standout performer successful Nigeria's home league for 4 years, wherever helium played for teams similar Sharks of Port Harcourt, Enugu Rangers, and Julius Berger.

By then, the youthful defender had already established himself arsenic the backbone of Nigeria's U20 nationalist squad defence.

The Nigerian defender moved to Inter successful 1997 having signed from French nine Auxerre, the aforesaid twelvemonth 'O Fenomeno' joined from Spanish nine Barcelona, per One Football.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup champion precocious recounted his precise archetypal acquisition playing against West connected the shot pitch.

Their paths had crossed successful 1996 erstwhile West was a cardinal subordinate of Nigeria's Dream Team that won golden astatine the Atalanta Olympic Games.

Recall that the West African pulled disconnected an bonzer comeback to decision the Samba Boys 4-3 successful a pulsating semi-final clash earlier Nigeria went connected to triumph the rubric by defeating Argentina successful the final.

Ronaldo insisted that helium adjacent met Taribo earlier, saying West was a subordinate of Nigeria’s U20 squad that played against an Under-17 Brazilian squad that had him successful the lineup.

Ronaldo de Lima admits that it was pugnacious playing against Taribo West. Photo: KOCA SULEJMANOVIC.
Source: Getty Images

Ronaldo de Lima recalls archetypal clip gathering Taribo

In a chat with erstwhile Italian striker Christian Vieri arsenic per Ilbianconero, Ronaldo admitted that it was hard playing the Nigerian defender.

Ronaldo said:

“I was successful the nether 16, and we were successful retreat with the Brazilian nationalist squad for 2 weeks.“At the clip I was 15, and we made a affable lucifer with Nigeria Under-20 squad wherever Taribo played.“They were precise fast; they were adults, we were lone 15 years old. On that occasion, I exchanged shoes with Taribo, but we didn’t cognize each different yet.“After truthful galore years, we met astatine Inter.”

Oparaku names Taribo successful his Nigeria XI

Legit.ng earlier reported that erstwhile Nigerian defender Mobi Oparaku named his all-time Nigeria champion XI, including Taribo West.

The Olympic golden medalist disclosed that his astir memorable infinitesimal was Sunday Oliseh's winning extremity against Spain astatine the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Okparaku was portion of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup squad and played successful each the qualifying matches for the 1998 World Cup per TheNation. He said:

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Source: Legit.ng