Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has sparked internal tension after the country’s World Cup exit, announcing he will step away from the national team while the current technical staff remains in charge.
In a blunt social media post following the 3-2 extra-time defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32, Gueye wrote:
“I’ll be back to give you a few words regarding elimination, but I announce today that as long as it’s this technical staff, I’ll take a break from the selection.”
The statement comes after Senegal’s dramatic collapse at Seattle Stadium, where they surrendered a two-goal lead to exit the tournament.
Senegal had been in control for long spells, with Habib Diarra scoring in the 25th minute and Ismaïla Sarr adding a second in the 51st. They were minutes from the Round of 16 before Belgium fought back through Romelu Lukaku in the 86th minute and Youri Tielemans three minutes later, before Tielemans converted a stoppage-time penalty in extra time to complete the turnaround.
Match statistics showed how evenly contested it was, with both sides recording 19 shots and five on target each. Possession was also close, 52.2 percent for Belgium and 47.8 percent for Senegal.
Gueye’s comments shift focus from the defeat itself to deeper concerns within the camp, raising questions about unity after a painful round of 32 exit.
