Nigerians Akanji and Okafor make Switzerland's 26-man World Cup squad for Qatar 2022

SWITZERLAND has picked two players of Nigerian descent for its 2022 World Cup squad in Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji and Red Bull Salzburg striker Noah Okafor naming both of them in its 26-man team.

Akanji was born in Neftenbach, Switzerland, to a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother. He represented Switzerland at youth levels before making his debut for the senior side in 2017. Now 27, Akanji a centre-back, has 42 caps for the Swiss national team and was a member of the 23-man squad that participated in the 2018 World Cup.

Okafor for his part was also born to a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother and also decided to represent his country of birth. A Binningen-born attacker, Okafor, 22, only made his senior debut in 2019 after playing for Switzerland at youth level.

It was Okafor’s first international goal that secured automatic qualification for Switzerland to the 2022 World Cup. Alongside Akanji and Okafor, Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin has also included Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka, Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri, Newcastle United’s Fabian Schar, and Chelsea’s on-loan midfielder Denis Zakaria in his 26-man squad.

Mr Yakin said: “We were spoiled for choice in some positions. Many players have delivered convincing performances in recent weeks and months but in the end I had to limit myself to 26 names and I’m convinced that these 26 players can always help us to achieve our goals.”

Switzerland will kick off their World Cup campaign against Cameroon on 24 November before facing Brazil and Serbia in Group G. In what is dubbed the group of death, Switzerland is facing a tough race to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Switzerland

Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Kohn (Red Bull 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), Sylvan Widmer (Mainz 05)

Midfielders: Michel Aebischer (Bologna), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz 05), Fabian Frei (Basel), Remo Freuler (Nottingham Forest), Ardon Jashari (Luzern), Noah Okafor (Red Bull Salzburg), Fabian Rieder (Young Boys), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Djibril Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt), Renato Steffen (Lugano), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Denis Zakaria (Chelsea)

Forwards: Breel Embolo (Monaco), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Haris Seferovic (Galatasaray), Reuben Vargas (FC Augsburg)