Tai Baribo

Tai Baribo (Hebrew: תאי בריבו; born 15 January 1998) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer and the Israel national team.

Tai Baribo
Baribo playing for Israel in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-01-15) 15 January 1998
Place of birth Eilat, Israel
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1][2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Philadelphia Union
Number 28
Youth career
2008–2015 Hapoel Rishon LeZion
2015–2017 Maccabi Petah Tikva
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Maccabi Petah Tikva 96 (23)
2021–2023 Wolfsberger AC 62 (28)
2023– Philadelphia Union 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 Israel U19 3 (1)
2018–2020 Israel U21 13 (2)
2022– Israel 11 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 June 2023

Early life

Baribo was born and raised in Eilat,[3] Israel, to an Israeli family of Sephardi Jewish descent.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] He explained that as an adult he has found out that the meaning of his unusual first name is a Hebrew acronym for the phrase "The Torah of the Land of Israel".[11] His mother Maya died of cancer when he was 11 years of age, and since then Baribo has decided that his career is dedicated to the memory of her.[11] His father Itzik[12] owns a Water Sports Center in Eilat, Israel, where Baribo was first noticed for his talent as an 11 years old youngster.[11] He is the youngest of three children.[3]

He was enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a soldier in 2016,[13] until his honorable discharge in 2019.[14]

He also holds a Portuguese passport, on account of his Sephardi Jewish ancestors, which eases the move to certain European football leagues.[10]

Club career

Maccabi Petah Tikva

Baribo started playing football for Israeli side Hapoel Rishon LeZion. Due to the long distance, he had to get to team training on flights. When he reached the age of 15, he signed with Maccabi Petah Tikva.

On 1 March 2017, Baribo made his senior debut in the 1–2 loss against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2016–17 Israel State Cup.[15]

Wolfsberger AC

Baribo signed a two-year contract with Austrian Football Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC on 9 July 2021.[16][17] He made his debut for the club on 25 July, the opening day of the 2021–22 season, coming off the bench as a late substitute for Thorsten Röcher in a 1–1 draw against Austria Klagenfurt.[18] He scored his first goals the following month, securing a 2–2 draw against WSG Tirol by netting a brace.[19]

Philadelphia Union

In August 2023, Philadelphia Union acquired Baribo from Wolfsberger AC for an undisclosed amount. Baribo signed a 2.5 year contract with the club.[20][21]

International career

Baribo made his senior debut for the Israel national team opening in a friendly 0–2 away loss to Germany on 26 March 2022.[22]

On 24 September 2022, Baribo scored the first goal for his native Israel against Albania in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League in a 2–1 home victory for Israel.[23]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 1 June 2022[1]
Club Season League League National cup League Cup Continental Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Maccabi Petah Tikva 2016–17 Israeli Premier League 401000000050
2017–18 8100400000121
2018–19 31730400000387
2019–20 Liga Leumit 259414100003311
2020–21 Israeli Premier League 28610300000326
Total 962391151000012025
Wolfsberger AC 2021–22 Austrian Football Bundesliga 2911320000003213
Total 2911320000003213
Career total 12534123151000015238

International
As of match played 19 June 2023[24][25]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Israel 202273
202340
Total113
Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Tai Baribo
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.24 September 2022Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel Albania2–12–12022–23 UEFA Nations League B
2.17 November 2022HaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva, Israel Zambia1–04–2Friendly
3.20 November 2022 Cyprus2–22–3

See also

References
  1. Tai Baribo at Soccerway
  2. Tai Baribo at ESPN FC
  3. "תאי בריבו ערך בכורה בהרכב מכבי פ"ת: "החיים הכריחו אותי להתבגר מהר"". 22 March 2018.
  4. "יוצא לאירופה: תאי בריבו חתם ל-3 שנים בוולפסברגר".
  5. "Instagram".
  6. "Instagram".
  7. "Instagram".
  8. "Instagram".
  9. "Instagram".
  10. https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/tai-baribo/
  11. נתן, דוד (25 September 2019). ""אמא ביקשה שלא אפסיק לשחק"". Ynet.
  12. "תאי בריבו: "מקווה למספרים דומים לשל שון וייסמן ומואנס דאבור" - ספורט 5".
  13. "Instagram".
  14. "Instagram".
  15. "Match Details". IFA. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  16. "Offensiv-Power | RZ Pellets WAC". Wolfsberger AC (in German). 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  17. "Israeli footballer Tai Baribo signs for Austria's Wolfsberger AC". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  18. "Austria Klagenfurt vs. Wolfsberger AC – 25 July 2021". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  19. "2:2! Wolfsberg und WSG Tirol bleiben sieglos". Sky Sport Austria (in German). 14 August 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  20. "US soccer team Philadelphia Union sign Israel's Tai Baribo". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  21. Union, Philadelphia. "Philadelphia Union Sign Forward Tai Baribo". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  22. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Germany vs. Israel". www.national-football-teams.com.
  23. https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2034543--israel-vs-albania/
  24. Tai Baribo – Israel Football Association national team player details
  25. https://www.football.org.il/national-team-player/?player_id=103224

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