AC Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta has finally addressed a controversial claim by former Super Eagles defender Taribo West that he was a better player than Paolo Maldini, Soccernet.ng reports.
Costacurta’s witty and sarcastic response comes ten years after West’s bold assertion made headlines.
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In a 2013 interview with Supersport.com, West, who had a brief stint at AC Milan, stated,
“I was a stronger player than both Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta, but coach Zaccheroni always bet on the two of them. Who knows why?
“Then, in 2000, I returned from the African Cup and found myself a starter given Maldini's injury. I played well and even got some praise, but some people weren't happy, and in the end, I was sidelined again.”
West even suggested that Maldini’s continued selection was due to favouritism, claiming,
“Maldini had a sort of godfather at Milan, and no one could take his starting place away from him.”
The interview recently resurfaced, going viral on social media and prompting Costacurta’s response.
Taking to Instagram as per CdS, the former Milan captain wrote that even if Taribo was better than Costacurta, there was no way the Nigerian could have been better than Maldini.
Costacurta wrote:
“Dear Taribo, maybe Costacurta's, but Maldini's, my Taribo…”
Costacurta's remark, dripping with irony, speaks to the absurdity of Taribo comparing himself to Maldini, a player regarded as one of football’s greatest defenders.
Costacurta spent over two decades at Milan, forming a legendary defensive partnership alongside Franco Baresi, Maldini, and Mauro Tassotti.
His career yielded seven Serie A titles and five Champions League trophies, solidifying his legacy as one of football’s finest.
Maldini, meanwhile, spent 25 seasons with Milan, amassing 26 trophies, including five Champions League titles and seven Serie A crowns.
West, known for his time at Inter Milan and later AC Milan, arrived in Serie A in June 1997 after helping Auxerre win the French Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles the previous year.
Nigeria's most expensive defender at the time of his move to Inter Milan, West spent two years at the club with the highlight of his stay being their UEFA Cup triumph in 1998.
His move to AC Milan in 2000 saw limited opportunities, though he did score a goal in a 4–0 win over Udinese.
Reflecting on his brief Milan stint, West said,
“They told lies against me to force me to leave. They claimed I had a heart problem similar to Kanu’s, but I played four league games and even scored. Then they refused to renew my contract.”
Today, the former Nigerian defender pastors a church and runs the Taribo West Foundation, aiding disadvantaged Nigerian children.
