Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has announced an indefinite hiatus from international football, declaring he will not play for the Teranga Lions as long as head coach Pape Thiaw remains in charge.
The 27-year-old’s bombshell announcement, shared on social media, came in the immediate aftermath of Senegal’s dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a post written in French, Gueye expressed his frustration with the current management team, stating he would address the details of Senegal's exit at a later date.
"I’ll come back to speak about our elimination, but today I announce that as long as this technical staff remains, I will take a break from the national team," Gueye wrote.
A Captivating Collapse
The midfielder's retirement from the national setup caps off a heartbreaking tournament exit for the West African giants. Senegal appeared comfortably on course for the quarter-finals after a dominant first half, powered by goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr to establish a 2-0 lead.
However, a resilient Belgian side mounted a late comeback. Goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans leveled the score to force extra time. The ultimate heartbreak came in the 125th minute when Tielemans converted a penalty following a dramatic VAR review, sealing Belgium's 3-2 victory.
The defeat shattered Senegal’s aspirations of securing their first World Cup knockout-stage win since their historic debut run to the quarter-finals in 2002.
Coach Defends Tactics Amid Backlash
Gueye’s sudden departure has intensified the spotlight on Thiaw, who is facing heavy criticism from pundits and fans alike over his second-half substitutions while defending a two-goal cushion.
Defending his bench management in the post-match press conference, Thiaw maintained that his hands were tied by the physical condition of his players.
"They were tired and couldn’t continue. Leaving them on the field would have been unprofessional on our part. We had to replace them like-for-like," Thiaw insisted.
"Of course, when you lose a match after leading 2-0, people will talk about the substitutions. But you can’t reduce everything to that. These changes were dictated primarily by fatigue rather than tactical considerations."