Noah Okafor has not been called up to the Swiss national team for almost a year and has made public his frustration at being left out of the national team.
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has delivered a blunt message to Noah Okafor, telling the Leeds United forward to “shut up and do his job” following his public outburst over his expulsion from the national team.
The £18 million Leeds summer signing from AC Milan has been left out of manager Murat Yakin’s 24-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Kosovo.
Okafor has not received a call-up for nearly 12 months and has publicly expressed frustration over what he believes is a complete breakdown in communication with the national team establishment.
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Okafor, whose last appearance for Switzerland was in the 3-2 loss to Spain in the Nations League on November 18, 2024, told the New York Times: “Since then, I haven’t even had a phone call or message with my coach, and I’ve never spoken to[the national team’s]sporting director Pierluigi Tami. They don’t even call me or ask me any questions.”
“For me, it doesn’t make any sense. I can say I’m sad because they don’t even email me or call me to check on me. For example, when I moved to Leeds, they said things like ‘congratulations’ – because I’m now playing in the best league in the world. ”
Before Okafor’s bombshell interview surfaced last week, Switzerland captain Xhaka had already spoken to the 25-year-old about his predicament. The Sunderland midfielder told Brick: “I spoke to Noah on the phone before the interview and, of course, the national team was also a topic of conversation. It’s difficult to comment on the matter without knowing all the details.”
“He was given a chance at the European Championship and the World Cup. Personally, I will assess the situation realistically. ‘Why am I not available? Why am I not in the team?’
“I think it’s good to maintain contact. Noah has a lot of potential but he hasn’t really shown it in recent years. He’s coming into his own now at Leeds. The league suits him.”
“Of course there are other players who have stood out even more. For example, Dan Ndoye has made a big breakthrough at Nottingham. As things stand, he is an integral part of the national team.”
“(Ruben) Vargas is incredibly important. He scores goals, plays and assists for Sevilla. The current statistics speak for themselves.
“Still, if Noah gets good at certain things, he might be able to play a role in the future. Sometimes you have to put your head down, shut your mouth and work.
“That applies to everyone, including me. In the end it’s the performance on the pitch that matters.”
Okafor has scored two goals in eight Premier League appearances for Leeds this season, while Daniel Farke’s side struggle to avoid being dragged into the drop zone. Swiss national team director Pierluigi Tami also weighed in on the controversy.
“These comments are not welcome. The timing is wrong and the form is wrong. If a player has a problem with his coach, he should be the only one to talk to. You can always call him and talk to him,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday, before slamming his fist on the desk in front of him.
“I don’t understand what he did at all. He needs patience and humility and above all he has to put the team above his personal problems. The national team has to put everything before everything.”
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