Midfielder Pape Gueye has declared he will stop playing for Senegal as long as manager Pape Thiaw stays in his position. This decision follows the team’s heart-wrenching 3-2 loss to Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
After surrendering a 2-0 advantage, the 27-year-old took to social media to state his intent to step away from international duties while the current coaching staff remains employed. Senegal initially led through goals by Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr, but Belgium staged a late comeback. Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans leveled the score, with Tielemans eventually netting the deciding penalty in the 125th minute.
This exit prevented Senegal from achieving their first knockout-round win since 2002. Gueye’s statement has placed additional pressure on Pape Thiaw, who faced backlash regarding his tactical substitutions. Thiaw defended his actions by claiming that player exhaustion necessitated the changes, arguing that keeping tired athletes on the pitch would have been an unprofessional move.
