Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has announced he is stepping away from international football, declaring he will not return to the national team while the current coaching staff remains in charge.
The Villarreal midfielder announced in the aftermath of Senegal’s disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Lions of Teranga squandered a two-goal advantage before suffering a dramatic defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32.
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The decision has sent shockwaves through Senegalese football, with the 26-year-old becoming the first senior player to distance himself from the national team following the tournament publicly.
Gueye confirms break from international football
In a strongly worded statement, Gueye made it clear that his decision was directly linked to the team’s current technical bench.
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He said, “I will take a break from the national team until this coaching staff remains in charge.”
The midfielder also revealed he intends to speak publicly about the reasons behind Senegal’s World Cup elimination but chose not to do so immediately.
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“I will come back later to talk about the reasons for the elimination. But today, I am announcing that as long as this coaching staff remains in place, I will stop playing for the Senegal national team,” he added.
🚨🇸🇳 Pape Gueye: “I will take a break from the national team until THIS coaching staff remains in charge”. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/FeRW2PnsBW
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 2, 2026
Senegal entered the tournament with high expectations but saw their hopes of progressing beyond the Round of 32 dashed after a dramatic collapse against Belgium.
Despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead, the Lions of Teranga failed to hold on, conceding late goals as Belgium completed a remarkable comeback to eliminate the African side.
