‘As long as this technical staff stays’: Senegal’s Pape Gueye puts international career on hold after World Cup exit

Pape Gueye, 26, of Senegal gives a thumbs up (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Pape Gueye has announced he is taking a break from international football and expressed his frustration following Senegal’s dramatic World Cup exit against Belgium. The midfielder’s decision raised questions about possible tension in the Senegal camp after one of the most heartbreaking defeats of the tournament.Senegal looked set to qualify for the round of 16 after building a two-goal lead against Belgium in the 51st minute in Seattle. But the game took a dramatic turn in the closing stages when Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute before Youri Tielemans equalized three minutes later to force extra time. The decisive moment came after a VAR review awarded Belgium a penalty for a foul on Lamin Camara, with Tielemans converting from the spot in the 124th minute and 44th second – the last winning goal in World Cup history.After the heartbreaking defeat, Gueye announced on Instagram his decision to retire from the national team, while the current coaching staff will remain in charge. He wrote: “I’ll be back later to talk about the relegation. But right now I’m announcing that as long as this technical staff remains in charge, I’ll be taking a break from the national team.”Gueye, who was replaced by coach Pape Thiaw after an hour, was one of Senegal’s standout players at the tournament. The Villarreal midfielder scored three goals and added an assist during the campaign, including a man of the match performance against Iraq.Despite the painful elimination, Senegal still made history by becoming the first African nation to score 10 goals in a single FIFA World Cup, highlighting the team’s impressive attacking performances throughout the tournament.