D.C. United Star Breaks Silence on Explosive Celebration That Stunned Former Teammates
D.C. United striker Tal Baribo justified his enthusiastic celebration against his previous team Philadelphia Union by emphasizing that the challenging nature of finding the net deserves recognition, no matter the situation.
Philadelphia Union experienced significant changes following their second Supporters' Shield triumph in 2025. Their 2026 season kickoff brought back memories of that campaign they'd prefer to leave behind.
Baribo, who netted 16 times during that championship-winning regular season in November, opened his 2026 account against the Union.
Making his debut for D.C. United after the franchise acquired his contract for over $4 million, Baribo powered home a strike in the 23rd minute, clinching a 1–0 victory for his new squad against his previous club.
Obviously, there were no hard feelings to consider. Baribo, despite his three-season tenure with the Union, passionately marked his inaugural goal, raising his arms and yelling just yards from his ex-teammates and coaching staff.
Tai Baribo opens his account for @dcunited against his former club 💪
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/336GJKzKUS pic.twitter.com/wZn6KfoxBW
If there existed an unwritten rule about restraining celebrations when scoring against previous clubs, it's not something Baribo subscribes to.
"I celebrate primarily not because it's versus Philadelphia, but because I celebrate alongside my supporters. For me, each goal matters. Scoring isn't simple," he explained post-game after recording his 26th MLS career strike.
"You can observe all my previous goals, whether in Philadelphia, Austria or Israel, I consistently celebrate with intensity, because it's challenging."
D.C. United's Reconstruction Begins Positively
D.C. United's Reconstruction Begins Positively
For one of MLS's most storied franchises, recent years have been challenging for D.C. United. This winter, club management aimed to change their luck, acquiring Baribo from the Union, center-back Sean Nealis from Red Bull New York, and keeper Sean Johnson from Toronto FC.
Though it might require time before they're viewed as serious challengers for a fifth MLS Cup in franchise history, Saturday's season-opening victory provided an encouraging start and delivered a crucial lift for the legendary organization.
"As a forward, you must be clinical. He found the net. It was the winning goal. So he fulfilled his role," head coach René Weiler commented on Baribo's display. "I can only state that he accomplished the task with this strike... So what more can we expect?"
With Baribo's scoring ability and this promising beginning, D.C. will hope their impressive opening triumph can generate additional momentum, possibly guiding them back to the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time since 2019.