Leeds United forward Noah Okafor has said he will no longer play for Switzerland while Murat Yakin remains head coach.
The 26-year-old cited a breakdown in trust with Yakin, insisting that his decision was not driven by limited playing time. Okafor has made 26 appearances for Switzerland since his international debut in 2019. However, he played only 19 minutes at the World Cup. He came off the bench during Switzerland’s last-32 victory over Algeria.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Thursday, Okafor said his decision followed how he felt he had been treated by the national team’s leadership.
“My decision has nothing to do with my playing time,” Okafor wrote.
“Things happened that hurt me deeply. Trust was broken. Commitments were not kept.”
Okafor also referred to his appearance against Algeria, saying he was hurt by the reaction to mistakes he made during the match. He said the criticism focused on minor errors that occurred well away from Switzerland’s goal.
“In the weeks that followed, I thought a lot and decided for myself that I no longer want to play for the national team under the current manager,” he added.
The Swiss Football Association said it was informed of Okafor’s decision on Thursday.
“We respect his decision and wish him every success with his club,” an association spokesperson told Reuters.
Okafor’s announcement means Switzerland will begin their next campaign without the Leeds forward. The team is scheduled to travel to North Macedonia on September 26 for their opening match of the 2026-27 Nations League.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/rodri-valencia-weak-comment-apology-barcelona-2026/
