Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor, a professional football player from both Nigeria and Switzerland who was born on May 24, 2000, plays as a midfielder for both Red Bull Salzburg and the Swiss national team.
Early Life and Education
One of five children, Noah Okafor was born on May 24, 2000, in Binningen, Switzerland, to a Nigerian father named Christian Okafor and a Swiss mother named Nicole Okafor. At the age of eight months, Noah Okafor’s father noticed that their son had athletic abilities. Furthermore, Noah, age 2, became the first two-year-old in the world to ride a bicycle without the support of training wheels, which is nearly unheard of for a two-year-old anyplace in the world.
Career
As a young boy, his only goal was to join a football team. One day, little Noah made the decision to go to the local football field in Arisdorf with the hopes of joining the neighborhood team. Unlucky youngster had no idea Markus, the youth coach, would turn him down right away. Noah went there without the necessary football equipment. He tried to join the other kids who were playing football since he liked watching them.
Despite being aware that he lacked the necessary tools, Noah had the guts to approach Markus Schweizer, the coach of the Arisdorf club. FC Arisdorf’s youth coach Markus Schweizer started by inspecting Noah, who was eight years old at the time. Before telling the boy to return if he had indoor shoes and Shin guards, the teacher gave him a headshake and explained that he needed the proper equipment for football instruction.
He hurried back home to demand that his father buy him some sporting equipment, and his father complied. The young coach who placed him on the team was shocked when he returned to practice.
Club Career
FC Basel
Okafor played his first game of football for the local team FC Arisdorf. In 2009, he relocated to FC Basel, where he participated in all of their young teams. On January 31, 2018, Okafor inked his first professional contract. He debuted for their first squad at home on May 19, 2018, against FC Luzern. In the 34th minute, coach Raphael Wicky took over for the hurt Mohamed Elyounoussi, and the game concluded in a 2-2 draw. He scored his first goal for his club on July 28, 2018, in a 1-1 away draw against Xamax during the second round of the 2018–19 season.
In the 2018–19 campaign, Basel won the Swiss Cup under head coach Marcel Koller. In the first round, Basel defeated FC Montlingen 3-0; in the second, Echallens Région 7-2; and in the sixteenth round, Winterthur 1-0. In the quarterfinal matchup between Sion and Zürich, Zürich was defeated 3-1 in overtime. All of these competitions took place outside of the home. On May 19, 2019, the championship game against Thun was played at the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf in Bern. Albian Ajeti, a forward for Basel, scored the game’s first goal. Fabian Frei and Dejan Sorgi added goals for Thun, but Basel finally prevailed 2-1. Okafor scored against Zürich in the semifinal and played in four cup games overall.
Red Bull Salzburg
On January 31, 2020, Okafor penned a contract with Red Bull Salzburg. In the final Champions League group stage match, Salzburg defeated Sevilla on December 8, 2021, thanks to a goal from Okafor. With the win, Salzburg reached the Round of 16 and made history by becoming the first Austrian team to ever advance this far in the Champions League.
International Career
In several international competitions, Okafor competed for the Swiss U-15 and U-17 teams. He took part in his first game for the U-18 team on May 9, 2018, a 1-1 tie with the Italian U-18 team. In the 113th minute of the 2019 UEFA Nations League third-place game against England, he came in to replace Haris Seferovic, making it his senior national team debut.
In a World Cup qualifying game on November 15, 2021, Okafor scored his first goal for Switzerland against Bulgaria. Switzerland qualified automatically for the FIFA World Cup 2022 thanks to the victory.
Personal Life
Christian and Nicole Okafor, Noah’s parents, weren’t Noah Okafor’s only caregivers. The boy spent his early years growing up with his older sister (Sonia Okafor), one older brother, two younger brothers (Isaiah and Elijah), and one older sister.
Although Noah prefers to keep his love life private, the public is aware that he is presently dating a stunning woman by the name of Alayah Pilgrim.
Honours
Basel
- Swiss Cup: 2018–19
Red Bull Salzburg
- Austrian Bundesliga: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
- Austrian Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
