Senegal and Villarreal defensive midfielder Pape Gueye has announced he is taking a break from the national side as long as the current technical staff remains in charge, signaling the first signs of internal tensions after a heartbreaking round of 32 loss to Belgium on Wednesday.
Dramatic Collapse Against Belgium
Senegal appeared to be cruising toward a place in the last 16 after establishing a two-goal lead against Belgium in Seattle before suffering one of the tournament's most dramatic collapses. After Senegal built a two-goal advantage by the 51st minute, Romelu Lukaku (86th minute) and Youri Tielemans (89th minute) changed the course of the game, forcing extra time.
Tielemans then converted a penalty following a VAR review for Lamine Camara's foul, sealing one of the tournament's most dramatic victories and rewriting World Cup record books. His winning penalty in the 124th minute and 44th second broke the previous record for the latest game-winning goal in FIFA World Cup history. From the jubilation of a two-goal lead, Senegal left with their hearts broken and dreams shattered within the span of the next hour.
Gueye's Instagram Announcement
Taking to Instagram, Gueye wrote in his local language, which translates to: "I will come back later to talk about the elimination. But, right now, I am announcing that, as long as this technical staff remains in charge, I will be taking a break from the National Team."
Gueye was substituted after an hour of action, with manager Pape Thiaw bringing in Lamine Camara. He had been Senegal's standout performer in the tournament, scoring three goals and providing an assist, earning a 'Player of the Match' award against Iraq in a 5-0 win.
Senegal's Historic Achievement
Despite the defeat, Senegal achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first African nation to score 10 goals in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup. According to tournament statistics, this feat highlights the team's attacking prowess even as their campaign ended in heartbreak.
According to reports, the loss to Belgium marked the first time Senegal had been eliminated in the round of 32 since the 2018 World Cup. The team had reached the quarterfinals in 2022, making this early exit particularly disappointing for players and fans alike.
