The final list of players who will represent Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was made public earlier today by the coach of the team Murat Yakin ahead of the start of the tournament next week.
Switzerland will round up their preparation for the tournament with a friendly game Ghana on Thursday, November 17, before their opening World Cup game against Cameroon a week later, then l the match against Brazil four days later.
On Friday, December 2 precisely the Swiss team will aim to reach the knockout stages for the fourth time in the last five World Cups. One player who will be hoping to be a part of the run is Noah Okafor of Austrian side RB Salzburg.
His inclusion completes what can be said to be a remarkable four year growth that saw him move from reaching out to the then coach of the Nigerian team Gernot Rohr over a spot in the senior national team of Nigeria.
“Everybody wants to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria especially watching Kanu Nwankwo and Austin Jay Jay Okocha who are my idols while growing up,” he told SportingLife in 2018.
“It will surely be a dream come true. I also have family in Nigeria and they will really be happy seeing me represent Nigeria”, he concluded back then. He was at FC Basle at that time and has already played for the Swiss team at youth level.
His open declaration didn’t sway Rohr who was in charge of the team as at that time and he instead focused on making the grades with the Swiss team, which led to him making his debut for their main team, one year after the above mentioned interview.
Ironically, while Nigeria won’t be at the World Cup, Okafor will be hoping to carry his club form where he has 7 goals in 13 League games and three in this season’s UEFA Champions League to the tournament.
For Switzerland, he will be aiming to add to his 8 caps and two goals.
Confirmed Switzerland squad
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Kohn (RB Salzburg), Jonas Omlin (Montpellier), Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Eray Comert (Valencia), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino), Fabian Schar (Newcastle United), Silvan Widmer (Mainz)
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz), Fabian Frei (Basel), Remo Freuler (Nottingham Forest), Ardon Jashari (Luzern), Fabian Rieder (Young Boys), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Djibril Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt), Renato Steffen (Lugano), Denis Zakaria (Chelsea), Michel Aebischer (Bologna)
Forwards: Breel Embolo (Monaco), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Noah Okafor (RB Salzburg), Haris Seferovic (Galatasaray), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg)