Noah Okafor has now spent Switzerland’s opening two World Cup matches watching from the bench, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to understand why.
The Leeds United forward arrived at the tournament on the back of the most productive season of his career, but Murat Yakin still appears unconvinced.
RATE Noah Okafor’s first season at Leeds United
He cost £18m.
While that will frustrate Okafor, it could end up being a welcome development for Leeds after a campaign in which fitness management became a major priority.
Okafor’s Leeds form deserved a bigger role
Switzerland were held to a 1-1 draw with Qatar before recording a convincing 4-1 win over Bosnia. Across both matches, Okafor remained an unused substitute.
That decision looks increasingly harsh when viewed against what he achieved for Leeds last season. The Swiss international scored eight goals in 1,569 minutes, spread across 28 Premier League appearances.
More importantly, Okafor’s efficiency placed him among the division’s most effective forwards. At one stage during the second half of the season, he was second only to Harry Kane for goals-to-minutes ratio.
His return of 7.61 expected goals suggested his finishing was fully backed up by the underlying numbers. Okafor is not only one of Switzerland’s best attackers, his form proved he was one of Europe’s elite.
For a side that struggled to break Qatar down and has not exactly been overloaded with goalscoring forwards in recent years, leaving a player with that profile unused twice in a row is difficult to justify.
Yakin’s position on Okafor has not changed
The reality is that this situation did not begin at the World Cup. Okafor’s relationship with Yakin became a talking point during Euro 2024 after the attacker grew frustrated with a lack of opportunities back then.
Following that tournament, Swiss director Pierluigi Tami revealed that Yakin had already established which players he saw as regular starters and which players would occupy supporting roles.
The evidence suggests Okafor still falls into the latter category. Two World Cup matches have now passed without a single minute. Regardless of how well he performs at club level, Yakin still doesn’t fancy him.
Others are moving ahead of him in Switzerland’s plans
One player who continues to enjoy Yakin’s confidence is Ruben Vargas. Coincidentally, the winger is also attracting interest from Leeds, with the Whites said to be preparing a £17m move in January.
Against Bosnia, Vargas was among the substitutes who helped swing the match decisively in Switzerland’s favour. While others took their chance to impress, Okafor remained rooted to the bench.
It is one thing to leave a player out when results are poor. It is another to continue overlooking him when he is coming off the back of the strongest domestic campaign of his career.
Leeds may quietly benefit from the situation
As frustrating as the situation is for Okafor, Leeds will see the bigger picture. The forward’s first season at Elland Road was interrupted by physical issues, with muscle-related setbacks preventing momentum.
PROVE ME WRONG: Noah Okafor is Leeds’ most-effective player right now.
Gerrard thinks so.
Even so, he still established himself as one of Leeds’ most dangerous attackers. Tammy Abraham praised Okafor’s mentality and attacking qualities, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin highlighted his quick adaptation.
Every player wants to represent their country on the biggest stage, so there is no doubt Okafor will be disappointed. Yet from Leeds’ perspective, two matches spent resting could prove valuable.
If Yakin continues to overlook him, it will remain a source of frustration for the player himself. For Leeds, however, the prospect of welcoming back a fresher and healthier Okafor is a blessing in disguise.
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