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Noah Okafor suffers online backlash for celebrating Austrian title win with Nigeria flag

By Monsurah Olatunji
Swiss international of Nigeria descent, Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor, celebrated winning the Austrian title with his club, RB Salzburg, with a photo of himself wrapped in a Nigerian flag while holding the league shield.
The 23-year-old was met with backlash from angry Switzerland fans who questioned his loyalty as a citizen.
Having pledged his allegiance to Switzerland, the youngster identifies himself as Igbo, one of the three major tribes in Nigeria.
However, 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.
Okafor played a key role in Salzburg winning the Admiral Bundesliga with seven goals and three assists in 21 games before suffering a metatarsal injury that kept him out since April 16.
Although Salzburg had already won the Austrian title before their 3-2 victory over Klagenfurt at home, the players didn’t receive the trophy until after the last league game of the year.
Hence, giving room for over 15,000 spectators to join in their celebration in the Red Bull Arena, and Noah celebrated with a Nigerian flag in front of the club fans.
Okafor continued with his celebration on social media as he released his commemorative images from the party on his official Instagram page but it appears supporters focused more on the Nigerian flag in his shot than the Swiss one not being there.
“Seriously, where is the Swiss flag? You’re embarrassing us,” a fan commented.
Meanwhile, Nigerian fans come out in numbers to defend and appreciate the player for not forgetting his roots despite playing for Switzerland, while some asked questions about his eligibility to represent Nigeria.
“It’s all love here; congratulations, champ” and “Boy, congratulations, and we are proud of you,” some responded.
“I thought he was already playing for Switzerland? Can he still play for Nigeria?” asked one fan.
However, following in the footsteps of prominent FC Red Bull Salzburg alumni, like Erling Braut Haaland, Patson Daka, and Takumi Minamino, the 22-year-old is anticipated to depart Salzburg next summer.
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