Noah Okafor responds to critics over Nigerian flag celebration after Austrian title win

Swiss international of Nigerian descent, Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor has responded to the backlash he received online for posing with the Nigerian flag.

The RB Salzburg forward celebrated winning the Austrian title with a photo of himself wrapped in a Nigerian flag while holding the league shield.

As reported earlier, the 23-year-old was met with backlash from angry Switzerland fans who questioned his loyalty as a citizen and player of the Swiss national team.

Okafor was born to a Nigerian father named Christian and a Swiss mother but chose to represent his mother’s nation which is also his place of birth.

However, the Switzerland international has explained the reasons behind his action and why he pledged his allegiance to represent Rossocrociati instead of donning the green and white of the Super Eagles.

“For me, it’s clear that I am half Swiss, half Nigerian,” he told Pulse Sports Nigeria.

“My mum’s side is Swiss, my dad is Nigerian. I play for the Swiss national team because I [was] born in Switzerland.

“Some people are arguing why I play for Swiss, and why I don’t play for Nigeria. In life, there is always something people want to say, or want differently.

“With the flag, I explained it before; I took the picture because my friend had the flag because I’m Nigerian too.

“If I do it again, I take both flags, like Swiss and Nigeria. Nobody can say something then.”