Leeds United have gotten off to a decent start to the season so far, but their unbeaten run has come to an end. This week has seen a first team star make a shocking statement following recent events.
The Whites have avoided player controversy for the last couple of months.
Leeds and Farke have decided to offload most of the players who did not want to be at Elland Road for this campaign.
Things have been off to a great start this year, but unfortunately the club’s solid run came to an end on Wednesday night. They lost 6-3 to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
Thursday has come with an incident that has rocked Elland Road.
Leeds United star issues shock statement
Noah Okafor
Credit: Imago
Leeds United winger Noah Okafor has announced that he has stepped away from the national team.
The Switzerland player has posted a very lengthy statement on his socials, explaining his reason for stepping away from the team. For now, it looks like Okafor has retired.
A part of his statement reveals that he is not leaving the fold because of playing time. Rather, it looks like some promises were broken and the player was not treated fairly.
Danke schweiz. 🇨🇭🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/eAxSnGS1Rb
— Noah Okafor (@noah_okafor) September 10, 2026
“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.
“One thing up front: I know that some will think again now: ‘Oh, Okafor again, he’s just offended because he hardly played’.
“But again: My decision has nothing to do with my playing minutes. I traveled to the tournament to support my team in the best possible way. On the pitch and off it.
“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.”
The next international break is in just over two weeks with Murat Yakin’s side set to face Macedonia, Scotland, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Okafor will not be available for these games unless something drastic happens.
READ MORE: Former Leeds United star makes bold Harry Gray claim: “Once he comes back…”
Leeds to benefit from this situation
Obviously, the situation around Noah Okafor is not the best.
Leeds will need to have people to help the winger through this and make sure he is ready to play mentally.
Okafor stepping away from national team football is a huge boost for the club. They will now have him fresh and available for most of the season.
Last year, even with his fitness and injury worries, he joined the Switzerland team during international breaks. This time around, he will be at Thorp Arch to get more time for personal sessions.
Fans will hope this makes Okafor sharper for the season ahead with no distractions ahead of him.
