“As a team, we’re going into the World Cup with the goal of surviving the group stage and progressing,” Okafor clarified, but added that they’ve “caught a very strong group”. Above all, however, the Salzburg legionnaire is encouraged the grown structure of Murat Yakin’s team: “We are a well-established team. If everyone fights for everyone and we have the necessary luck, we can go far.”
After a friendly against Ghana (November 17), the Swiss start the tournament against Cameroon on November 24. After that, record world champions Brazil (November 28) and Serbia (December 2) are waiting. Okafor himself hopes that he can show off his speed and dynamism on the world’s biggest stage, despite the short recovery time.
“I feel really good and comfortable”
The 22-year-old has scored ten goals in 21 competitive games for Salzburg this season, including three in the group stage of the Champions League like last season. “I was actually able to play the entire season without any real injury. Now I hope it stays that way until the World Cup, because I feel really good and at ease,” said the attacker.
Okafor has scored two goals in eight international matches so far. The son of a native Nigerian and a Swiss mother has only been part of the regular squad of the “Nati” since the end of 2021, when he was instrumental in the successful completion of the World Cup qualification. Monaco’s Breel Embolo should also give the Swiss forward at the World Cup, the first replacement seems to be veteran Haris Seferovic (Galatasaray Istanbul). In the 4-2-3-1 system, however, Okafor could set accents on the wings with his one-on-one qualities.
Diligence in training pays off
The former top talent from FC Basel was the most expensive signing in domestic Bundesliga history at the time of his commitment in January 2020. The cops paid a reported 11.2 million euros (12 million Swiss francs at the time) for his services. However, Okafor did not prevail in Salzburg from one day to the next. The family man, one of five siblings, had teething problems. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, muscle injuries kept troubling him.
According to club officials, Okafor responded with extra units. He has now more than internalized the Red Bull style. However, the past few months had been “a challenge” even before the World Cup, Okafor recalled. “We played a lot of matches in a very short time, there were hardly any breaks in between.” With regard to the tournament, it was all the more important to use the phases between the games for regeneration. “It will then be important on site that we take the time change and the different weather well,” said Okafor.
He himself is regarded as a tireless worker who pays attention to his body – and should therefore be able to cope well with the winter World Cup in the desert. “Of course I won’t change my style of play,” Okafor said before his first major tournament. “But I’m still working on things I can improve.”
