Taribo West, famous for his iconic green braids and commanding presence in defense, became a World Cup cult hero for Nigeria in the late 1990s. Official records listed him as 28 during the tournament. But whispers across football circles suggest a different reality—that Taribo may have actually been 40 years old at the time. The revelation, if true, adds another layer of myth to one of football’s most intriguing figures, raising questions about age documentation in African football during that era.

Whether fact or folklore, the tale of Taribo West’s “real age” continues to stir debates among fans and pundits alike, reinforcing his status as a legend whose story goes far beyond the pitch.