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Pape Gueye has announced a break from Senegal duty after the Lions of Teranga’s heartbreaking World Cup exit, saying he will not return while the current coaching staff remains.
Senegal’s Pape Gueye (AP)
Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has announced that he is stepping away from international football for the foreseeable future following the Lions of Teranga’s agonising FIFA World Cup 2026 exit at the hands of Belgium.
The announcement came just hours after Senegal suffered one of the cruellest defeats of the tournament, surrendering a two-goal lead before losing 3-2 after extra time in a dramatic Round of 32 clash.
Gueye took to Instagram to share his disappointment and revealed that his absence from the national team is tied to the current coaching setup.
“I will come back to say a few words regarding the elimination, but I am announcing today that as long as this technical staff remains in place, I will take a break from the national team.”
The midfielder did not elaborate further on his reasons, but his statement raises fresh questions over the future of Senegal’s coaching staff after another painful exit on the international stage.
For much of the contest, Senegal looked destined for a famous victory. The African side raced into a 2-0 lead and held firm until the closing minutes of regulation time before Belgium mounted a stunning comeback.
Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute before captain Youri Tielemans headed home Leandro Trossard’s cross three minutes later to force extra time.
The decisive moment arrived in the dying seconds of extra time when referee Saíd Martínez, following a VAR review, awarded Belgium a penalty after Lamine Camara was adjudged to have fouled Tielemans inside the area. The Belgian captain converted the spot-kick in the 125th minute to complete an extraordinary turnaround and send Senegal crashing out.
The defeat added to what has been a traumatic year for Senegalese football.
Earlier this year, the Lions of Teranga were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title following the controversial abandonment of the final against Morocco, despite initially winning the match 1-0. That incident also stemmed from a disputed VAR penalty decision, making the similarities with their World Cup exit even more painful.
“We’re out — it hurts,” head coach Thiaw said after the match.
“We must congratulate the team, who gave it their all, but unfortunately we weren’t able to hold on to our two-goal lead. We have to accept this. That’s football.”
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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