Leeds United winger Noah Okafor has told the Swiss Football Association he will not play international football again while Murat Yakin remains head coach, announcing his decision to step back from the national team in an Instagram statement.
The 26-year-old was part of Switzerland's World Cup squad but played only once, coming on as a late substitute in the round-of-32 win over Algeria. His call-up came after he scored four goals in his final four league games of the season for Leeds.
In March, Okafor had ended a 16-month exile from the Switzerland squad following a clear-the-air meeting with Yakin. He had previously criticised the coach and Swiss federation officials for failing to communicate with him during the period he was left out of the squad.
Instagram statement
Okafor explained his decision in a lengthy post on Instagram. "Dear fans, these lines are the hardest I have written in my career so far. After careful consideration, I have decided to step down from the Swiss national team until further notice," he wrote.
"This decision is extremely difficult for me, but I want to and must state it now. There was never anything greater for me than playing for Switzerland. Every time I have worn this jersey, I have tried to leave my heart on the pitch," he continued.
He was keen to stress that the decision was not driven by a lack of playing time. "It is important to me to clarify one thing: This decision has nothing to do with playing minutes. I know that I haven't always done everything right in the past. Young players make mistakes, and I have apologized for that. But now the situation is different," he said.
World Cup frustration
Okafor said he had travelled to the World Cup "with a good feeling, full of motivation" after Yakin flew to England a year after the European Championship to hold a clarifying conversation with him and members of his coaching staff. He described that meeting as "very appreciative and good" and said he had been grateful to Yakin at the time.
"All the more disappointing for me was what I experienced there. Not because I played little, but because of the way I was treated. For me, it was the most difficult time of my career so far," he wrote.
Okafor has featured in all of Leeds' games so far this season.
He said he anticipated being dismissed as a player who was simply "offended because he hardly played", but insisted that was not the case. "Things happened that hit me deeply. Trust was broken. Promises were not kept. And when I was allowed to play against Algeria, even small mistakes far away from our goal were reacted to in a way that hit me deeply," he said.
"In the weeks after that, I thought a lot and decided for myself that I no longer want to play for the national team under the current coach."
Praise for Yakin despite rift
Despite the falling out, Okafor was careful to praise Yakin's record in charge of the national team. "Murat Yakin is doing a great job and has achieved historic things with Switzerland. The success proves him and his work right. And of course, I don't want any special treatment from him. Only mutual respect and trust, but I do not see this foundation for the coming years," he wrote.
Okafor has not always seen eye to eye with Switzerland boss Murat Yakin.
He added that he remained grateful to the national team and to Switzerland. "I sincerely wish the team only the best. I am happy about every success of the team and think that we achieved great things at the World Cup. Many of my teammates are friends, and I will continue to root for them and support them," he said, closing his statement with "See you soon, Noah."
Swiss FA responds
The Swiss Football Association confirmed Okafor's decision in a statement. "Noah personally informed us today that he will no longer be playing for the national team for the time being. We respect his decision and wish him good luck and success with his club," the federation said.
Okafor remains available for Leeds United, where he has played in every match so far this season.
