Tai Baribo

Tai Baribo
Baribo with the Philadelphia Union in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-01-15) 15 January 1998 (age 28)
Place of birth Eilat, Israel
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 D.C. United
Number 9
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 61 (27)
2023–2025 Philadelphia Union 54 (25)
2026– D.C. United 22 (15)
International career‡
2017 Israel U19 3 (1)
2018–2020 Israel U21 13 (2)
2022– Israel 25 (4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:09, 15 October 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:14, 1 October 2026 (UTC)

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

Early life

Baribo was born and raised in Eilat, Israel, to an Israeli family of Sephardi Jewish descent. 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". 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. His father Itzik owns a Water Sports Center in Eilat, Israel, where Baribo was first noticed for his talent as an 11-year-old. He is the youngest of three children.

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

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

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 a 2–1 loss against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2016–17 Israel State Cup.

Wolfsberger AC

Baribo signed a two-year contract with Austrian Football Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC on 9 July 2021. 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. He scored his first goals the following month, securing a 2–2 draw against WSG Tirol by netting a brace.

Philadelphia Union

In August 2023, Philadelphia Union acquired Baribo from Wolfsberger AC for an undisclosed amount. He signed a 2.5-year contract with the club. On 18 July 2024, Baribo scored his first hat trick against New England Revolution in a 5–1 win.

Baribo scored seven goals in six games during the 2024 Leagues Cup, and as a result was awarded the golden boot for the tournament.

D.C. United

In December 2025, D.C. United acquired Baribo from Philadelphia Union for $4 million plus up to $600,000 in performance incentives. On 21 February 2026, Baribo made his United debut, scoring in a 1–0 victory against his former club.

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.

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

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 September 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Maccabi Petah Tikva 2016–17 Israeli Premier League 401000——50
2017–18 Israeli Premier League 810040——121
2018–19 Israeli Premier League 3173040——387
2019–20 Liga Leumit 2594141——3311
2020–21 Israeli Premier League 2861030——326
Total 962391151000012025
Wolfsberger AC 2021–22 Austrian Bundesliga 291132———3213
2022–23 Austrian Bundesliga 321600—42—3618
Total 6127320042006831
Philadelphia Union 2023 MLS 50———1060
2024 MLS 209———672616
2025 MLS 291631———3217
Total 5425310000776433
D.C. United 2026 MLS 19140000——1914
Career total 230891541514277271103

International

As of match played 1 October 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Israel 202273
202370
202440
202551
202620
Total254

Honours

Philadelphia Union

Individual

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "תאי בריבו ערך בכורה בהרכב מכבי פ"ת: "החיים הכריחו אותי להתבגר מהר"". 22 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "יוצא לאירופה: תאי בריבו חתם ל-3 שנים בוולפסברגר". Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Instagram".
  4. ↑ "Instagram".
  5. ↑ "Instagram".
  6. ↑ "Instagram".
  7. ↑ "Instagram".
  8. 1 2 "Tai Baribo".
  9. 1 2 3 נתן, דוד (25 September 2019). ""אמא ביקשה שלא אפסיק לשחק"". Ynet.
  10. ↑ "תאי בריבו: "מקווה למספרים דומים לשל שון וייסמן ומואנס דאבור" – ספורט 5". 15 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Instagram".
  12. ↑ "Instagram".
  13. ↑ "Match Details". IFA. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  14. ↑ "Offensiv-Power | RZ Pellets WAC". Wolfsberger AC (in German). 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  15. ↑ "Israeli footballer Tai Baribo signs for Austria's Wolfsberger AC". The Jerusalem Post. 9 July 2021. ISSN 0792-822X. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  16. ↑ "Austria Klagenfurt vs. Wolfsberger AC – 25 July 2021". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  17. ↑ "2:2! Wolfsberg und WSG Tirol bleiben sieglos". Sky Sport Austria (in German). 14 August 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  18. ↑ "US soccer team Philadelphia Union sign Israel's Tai Baribo". The Jerusalem Post. 2 August 2023. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  19. ↑ Union, Philadelphia. "Philadelphia Union Sign Forward Tai Baribo". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Tai Baribo earns Leagues Cup 2024 AT&T Top Scorer Award winner". Leagues Cup. 25 August 2024.
  21. ↑ "D.C. United Acquires Israeli International and MLS All-Star Tai Baribo from the Philadelphia Union". D.C. United. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  22. ↑ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Germany vs. Israel". www.national-football-teams.com.
  23. ↑ "Israel-Albania | UEFA Nations League 2023".
  24. ↑ Tai Baribo at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  25. ↑ Tai Baribo – Israel Football Association national team player details (archive) Edit this at Wikidata
  26. ↑ "ההתאחדות לכדורגל בישראל - שחקן נבחרת".
  27. ↑ "Philadelphia Union win 2025 Supporters' Shield". Major League Soccer. 4 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Leagues Cup 2024 » Top Scorer". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 2 August 2024.