Noah Okafor rules himself out of playing for Switzerland under head coach Murat Yakin, saying the trust between the two has been broken and that he no longer wants to represent the national team while Yakin remains in charge.
The Leeds United forward, 26, was part of Switzerland’s World Cup squad after making an impression during his first Premier League season, but his involvement in the tournament was limited to a single substitute appearance in the team’s last-32 victory over Algeria.
Okafor said his decision to step away from international football was not driven by frustration over his limited playing time. Instead, he pointed to a series of incidents that left him feeling deeply hurt and convinced him that his relationship with the national team management could no longer continue as before.
“My decision has nothing to do with my playing time,” Okafor wrote in a social media statement. He said trust had been damaged, commitments had not been honoured and that the reaction to some of his mistakes during the Algeria match had affected him significantly.
Okafor said he spent the following weeks reflecting on the situation before deciding that he no longer wanted to play for Switzerland under Yakin.
The Swiss Football Association confirmed that Okafor had informed the organisation of his decision to temporarily step away from international football. The association said it respected his position and wished him success with Leeds United.
His withdrawal comes as Switzerland prepares for Nations League matches against North Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia, leaving Yakin without a player who had previously been part of his plans at international level.
The decision is also the latest development in a relationship that had already shown signs of tension. Okafor previously criticised the lack of communication from Yakin and Swiss FA sporting director Pierluigi Tami after he was omitted from Switzerland’s World Cup qualifying matches against Sweden and Kosovo last year.
At the time, Okafor said neither Yakin nor Tami had contacted him to discuss his situation. He also expressed disappointment that he had not received even a message following his move to Leeds, where he continued his career in the Premier League.
“I never spoke with the coach, not even a phone call or a message,” Okafor said at the time. “They don’t even call me or ask me.”
He also questioned why there had been no communication from the Swiss setup after his move to Leeds, describing the situation as something that made him sad.
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka had previously encouraged Okafor to concentrate on earning another opportunity with the national team rather than allowing tensions to develop further.
Okafor has now made his position clear. He has 26 international appearances for Switzerland and previously played for AC Milan before moving to Leeds. His current club form has also given him reason to remain focused on his career in England, having started Leeds’ last two Premier League matches, including the draw with Brighton last weekend.
He also provided an assist in Leeds’ Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday.
For now, Okafor’s decision leaves his international future tied closely to the continued presence of Yakin. Unless his position changes, the Leeds forward will remain unavailable to Switzerland while the current manager is in charge.
