Tai Baribo, born January 15, 1998, in Eilat, Israel, is a dynamic forward currently playing for the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer and representing the Israel national team. Having honed his skills at Maccabi Petah Tikva and Wolfsberger AC, Baribo joined the Union in August 2023 and quickly made an impact, notably winning the Leagues Cup Golden Boot in 2024. He has also garnered multiple MLS Player of the Matchday awards and was named MLS Player of the Month for February and March 2025, consistently demonstrating his goal-scoring prowess and becoming the fastest Union player to reach 10 goals in a single season.
Read Also: Luis Suárez – Uruguayan footballer
Tai Baribo
Forward | Philadelphia Union & Israel National Team
Personal Information
Full Name:
Tai Baribo
Date of Birth:
January 15, 1998 (27 years old)
Place of Birth:
Eilat, Israel
Height:
1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s):
Forward (Centre-Forward)
Current Club:
Philadelphia Union (Joined August 2023)
National Team:
Israel
Youth Career:
Hapoel Rishon LeZion (2008–2015), Maccabi Petah Tikva (2015–2017)
Nationality:
Israeli, also holds Portuguese passport
Career Statistics
Club Career (Senior)
| Club | Seasons | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maccabi Petah Tikva | 2016–2021 | 120 | 25 | – |
| Wolfsberger AC | 2021–2023 | 68 | 31 | – |
| Philadelphia Union | 2023–present | 45 | 26 | 10 |
Club Competition Stats (Select Major)
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israeli Premier League | 96 | 23 | – |
| Liga Leumit (Israeli 2nd Div) | 25 | 9 | 1 |
| Austrian Bundesliga | 61 | 28 | 5 |
| MLS (Major League Soccer) | 39 | 22 | 3 |
| Leagues Cup | 7 | 7 | – |
International Career (Israel)
| Team | Years | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israel Senior Team | 2022–present | 19 | 3 |
| Israel U21 | 2018–2020 | 13 | 2 |
| Israel U19 | 2017 | 3 | 1 |
Honours & Career Highlights
- Club Honours:
- **Maccabi Petah Tikva:** Liga Leumit (2019–20)
- **Philadelphia Union:** Leagues Cup Top Scorer (2024)
- Individual Accolades & Milestones:
- **Leagues Cup Golden Boot:** 2024 (7 goals in 6 games)
- MLS Player of the Matchday (multiple times in 2025 season)
- First career hat-trick (July 17, 2024, vs. New England Revolution)
- Second career MLS hat-trick (March 2, 2025, vs. FC Cincinnati)
- MLS Player of the Month for February and March 2025.
- Fastest Union player to score 10 goals in a single season.
