From Thierry's 'toughest opponent' to Pastor Taribo

Former Super Eagles defender Taribo West is best known for representing some of Europe's biggest clubs and winning a Gold medal at the Olympics in 1996, although he now follows a different career.

Taribo looks unrecognisable after ditching his iconic style to become a pastor in Nigeria, his homeland.

The 47-year-old was a cult figure in the late 1990s and early 2000s, representing Auxerre, Inter Milan, AC Milan and various other teams.

Despite making fewer than 300 professional appearances for club and country, West won the French title, two French cups, UEFA Cup and a Gold medal at the Olympics in 1996.

He also won the hearts of European football fans with his flamboyant hairstyle and helped Derby County survive in the Premier League during a loan spell in 2000-01.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry even once described West as his toughest "direct" opponent.

Henry said: "Toughest as an indirect opponent? Or just a guy you don’t like to play against? Paul Scholes. For the direct opponent, I would go back in the days – Taribo West.

"Because [at Auxerre], they did man-marking. He followed you everywhere, even in the dressing room."

West founded The Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nation in 2014 and claimed to have his first meeting with God after Nigeria's triumph at the Olympics in 1996.

The ex-defender told BBC Sport in May 2021: "Why would I switch from being a footballer to becoming a pastor? I saw God, one-on-one.

"That is where my transition started from. From the field, to the pulpit.

"We were celebrating [after the Olympics final]. In the middle of that, a young girl stumbled into me and said, 'Sir, please may I know your name?'

"I said, 'I'm Mr No Name.' She said, 'May I know where you live?' I said, 'Me?' She said, 'Yes.' I said, 'I live nowhere.' She left with annoyance.

"In the twinkle of an eye I just heard an audible voice. And it came like a slap. Bam! 'Switch! Turn!' I turned.

"It said, 'Look at the woman.' And it said, 'Look for her now and call that woman and apologise to her. I say that to you.' That can only be a call from God.

"So I switched, like a Robocop. I start searching for the woman.

"When this sister came in all the away from America, she told me a lot of prophecies. And she told me, in the next one or two years I would open a church.

"All the prophecies she gave me came to pass."

After leaving Derby, West went on to represent German outfit Kaiserslautern and even made four Championship appearances for Plymouth Argyle in 2005-06.

On whether his teammates supported his religious beliefs, West added: "They think I was crazy."