World Cup frustration continues for Leeds United’s Noah Okafor, who was left on the bench for the entirety of Switzerland’s Round of 16 victory over Colombia. With Lionel Messi’s Argentina up next in the quarter-finals, the Leeds man will be hoping to get his chance to make an impact.
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World Cup Frustration Continues for Leeds’ Noah Okafor: Will He Get His Chance Against Messi’s Argentina?
How Many Minutes Has Okafor Played at the 2026 World Cup So Far?
Okafor has hardly been used by Switzerland manager Murat Yakin, with his only playing time consisting of a brief, 19-minute cameo in the Round of 32 clash with Algeria. The only outfield players to have played fewer minutes are Aurele Amenda, Eray Comert (both defenders), and ex-Norwich midfielder Christian Fassnacht.
In the Round of 16 game against Colombia, which went to extra time and eventually a penalty shootout, it was telling that Yakin turned to the likes of Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni and Sevilla’s Ruben Vargas rather than Okafor. With the score 0-0 after extra time, the winger was forced to watch his side’s penalties from the bench, unable to contribute.
Amdouni made just four Premier League appearances for Burnley this campaign after a long injury layoff, but has appeared from the bench in three of Switzerland’s matches, suggesting he is firmly above the Leeds man in the pecking order. With the Swiss preparing to take on Argentina in a first World Cup quarter-final appearance since 1954, Okafor will be desperate to get the opportunity to play his part, but it remains to be seen whether Yakin will give him that chance.
World Cup Frustration Continues for Okafor Despite An Impressive Season at Leeds
Following three injury-hit seasons at AC Milan, where the 26-year-old struggled to nail down a starting place, a move to recently promoted Leeds could hardly have gone better for the winger. With eight goals and one assist in 28 games, the former RB Salzburg man was highly impressive, particularly in the second half of the season.
Prior to suffering an injury that ruled him out of the last three matches, Okafor went on a run of six goals in seven games, including an outstanding performance against arch-rivals Manchester United that few Leeds fans will ever forget. The winger scored two excellent goals at the Stretford End as the Whites recorded a first league win at Old Trafford since 1981, which was the height of the season for Daniel Farke’s side.
No Swiss player has scored more Premier League goals in a single season than the United man’s eight, and only Dominic Calvert-Lewin (14) managed more for Leeds. Despite his talents being on full display in England, Okafor’s international career appears to be stagnating, leaving Leeds fans wondering what more the winger could do to earn his place.
Tension with Murat Yakin Continues at 2026 World Cup
In an interview with The Athletic in November 2025, Okafor said he felt he had been ‘frozen out’ by the Swiss manager, who also left him on the bench for the entirety of Euro 2024 as his country made the quarter-finals. International minutes have been hard to come by for the winger, who was selected in the squad for just two of the 16 matches following Euro 2024, and only managed 11 minutes in a World Cup warm-up fixture against Australia earlier this year.
In the interview, the 26-year-old revealed his frustration with regularly being left out of his country’s international squads: “I’m always on time. I’m never late. Maybe when you don’t start me or when I don’t play, I’m a little bit angry, but this is the hunger every young player has.”
Around the same time, after leaving the winger out of yet another squad, Yakin said: “I’ve spoken to Okafor repeatedly, telling him what I expect from him on and off the pitch. I hope my words will eventually get through to him.”
Whilst the winger’s sterling form for Leeds made it extremely difficult for Yakin to leave him out of the squad, it seems unlikely that the Switzerland manager will trust Okafor with a starting berth any time soon, irrespective of his form.
Featured image courtesy of Imago/STEINSIEK.CH
