Joe Nagbe

Joe T. Nagbe (born September 2, 1968 in Nimba County ) is a Liberian former football defender. He has had at least ten years playing in Europe, starting off like George Weah with Monaco then on to Nice. He played in Greece for three years.

Personal life

Nagbe is married and has two sons and two daughters. His daughter Martha plays basketball. He is the father to Jessica Nagbe as well as Darlington Nagbe who is an attacking midfielder/forward for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.

Football career

Nagbe started his football sojourn with Young Survivor of Clara Town from 1982 to 1985.

He then joined Invincible Eleven (IE) in 1985 and thereafter played between 1986 and 1987 for Mighty Barolle before returning to IE, where he stayed up to 1988 after winning the National League title.

Along with fellow Liberian international James Debbah, Nagbe moved to Union Douala of Cameroon for the 1989 to 1990 season. During that period, he played a major role as Liberia almost reached the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy. In the process, the Lone Star eliminated the Ghana Black Star before defeating the Pharaohs of Egypt, Kenya and Malawi in the group stage.

Nagbe and Debbah joined George Weah at AS Monaco for the 1989–90 season and then found himself at Epinac from 1990 to 1993. The three seasons that followed saw Nagbe at OGC Nice, where he alongside Debbah, were successful, including a French Cup final win over Guingamp that had another Liberian Christopher Wreh. Nagbe had the opportunity of serving as captain of Nice.

His next transfer led him to Switzerland with Lugano for the season of 1996–97 and afterwards, Greece became the next destination for the Liberian that has played the roles of striker, midfielder and defender during his outstanding career.

Nagbe together with his colleagues made history for the Lone Star when Liberia qualified for her first African Cup of Nations finals in South Africa. Before then, the Lone Star defeated the Tunisia, Mauritania and Togo, but drew with Senegal at home.

Nagbe was then at PAOK Salonika for three seasons (1997–2000) and later at Panionios (2000–2001). The next season, he played for Giannana (2001–2002), the period with him as captain when the Lone Star reached another African Nations Cup finals but narrowly missed out on the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.

His final journey before heading for retirement led Nagbe to Indonesia, where he reunited with dozens of his countrymen. There, he played for PSPS, Persema Malang and PSIM Yogyakarta.

He began playing for the Liberian national team in 1985 and ended in 2001 with 96 caps. In June 2011 Nagbe came out of retirement to play against Cape Verde, and kept a clean sheet.

Coach career

Upon quitting football, Nagbe traveled to Brazil and is now professional soccer coach, recognized by FIFA, CBF, UEFA and other established soccer organizations.