Five-Year-Old Video Resurfaces As Henry Names Taribo West Toughest Defender

A five-year-old video of Thierry Henry naming former Super Eagles hardman Taribo West as the toughest direct opponent he ever faced has resurfaced, bringing the Nigerian defender’s reputation back into the spotlight.

The clip, originally posted five years ago, has begun circulating again after Henry revealed that West gave him more problems than some of the legendary defenders he encountered during his illustrious career.

Asked during an appearance on CBS Sports Golazo to name his toughest opponent, the former Arsenal and France striker picked West as his most difficult direct opponent.

‘For direct opponent, I would go back in the days, Taribo West,’ Henry said.

‘Because at Auxerre, they did man-marking. He followed you everywhere, even in the dressing room.’

Henry’s comments date back to his battles with West during his AS Monaco days in Ligue 1, when the Nigerian was a key member of the AJ Auxerre defence under legendary manager Guy Roux.

West’s relentless man-marking left little room for Henry to operate, with the defender refusing to give the French striker the freedom to influence the game.

The rivalry continued in Italy after Henry moved to Juventus and West joined Inter Milan in 1997.

West, who helped Nigeria win Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996, later recalled his battles with Henry with characteristic confidence, insisting that he never allowed the Frenchman to score against him.

‘When Auxerre played against Monaco, I always breathed down his neck. I made him shiver, like they were pouring snow on him,’ West said.

The former Super Eagles defender also claimed that several of Europe’s leading strikers failed to score against him.

‘I can say in Europe most of the top strikers never scored against me. Even the great George Weah never scored against me.’

Henry’s choice is particularly striking given the calibre of defenders he faced during his career, with the Frenchman also coming up against stars such as Paolo Maldini, Carles Puyol and John Terry.

But five years after the clip was first posted, Henry’s verdict on West has resurfaced once again, offering a reminder of the fearsome reputation the Nigerian defender built during his European career.