Okafor steps away from Switzerland squad amid Yakin trust breakdown

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Switzerland forward Noah Okafor has announced that he will not represent the national team under head coach Murat Yakin until further notice, citing a serious breakdown in their relationship.

The 26-year-old Leeds United attacker revealed on Thursday that his decision was driven by what he described as the way he has been treated by Yakin, rather than simply his limited playing time.

Okafor made a brief 19-minute appearance as a substitute in Switzerland’s World Cup last-32 victory over Algeria, taking his international tally to 26 caps.

Despite his restricted role, Okafor insisted that the number of minutes he has played was not the determining factor behind his decision.

Instead, the forward said the situation had reached a point where he no longer felt there was sufficient trust between himself and the Switzerland manager, prompting him to step away from the national team setup until further notice.
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