Pape Gueye has announced that he is taking a break from international football, expressing his frustration after Senegal’s dramatic FIFA World Cup exit against Belgium. The midfielder’s decision has raised questions about possible tensions within the Senegal camp following 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 by the 51st minute in Seattle. However, the match turned dramatically in the closing stages as Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute before Youri Tielemans equalised three minutes later to force extra time. The decisive moment came after a VAR review awarded Belgium a penalty for a foul by Lamine Camara, with Tielemans converting from the spot in the 124th minute and 44th second — the latest winning goal ever scored in FIFA World Cup history.Following the heartbreaking defeat, Gueye took to Instagram to announce his decision to step away from the national team while the current coaching staff remains in charge. He wrote, “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, who was substituted after an hour by coach Pape Thiaw, had been one of Senegal’s standout performers at the tournament. The Villarreal midfielder scored three goals and provided an assist during the campaign, including a Player of the Match performance against Iraq.Despite their painful elimination, Senegal still created history by becoming the first African nation to score 10 goals in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup, highlighting the team’s impressive attacking performances throughout the tournament.
