Senegal: Pape Gueye breaks his silence and revisits his decision to suspend international duty

After the Teranga Lions' elimination from the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, Pape Gueye announced that he would not return to the national team as long as the current coaching staff remains in place. In a message posted to his social media accounts on July 7, the Villarreal player explained his controversial decision.

Facing a wave of criticism, the Villarreal midfielder wanted to clarify his stance. On Instagram, he renewed his love for Senegal, saying: "I love my country and the national team more than anything. I know exactly what it means to wear our colors. I've always put the team above my personal interests and I will continue to do so."

The Villarreal midfielder also acknowledged the disappointment felt by everyone during the World Cup, where Senegal was knocked out in the round of 16 by Belgium despite leading 2-0 up to the 85th minute: "We let you down. You deserved better."

The man who scored twice against Iraq (5-0) justified his decision to suspend his international career as long as the technical staff led by Pape Thiaw remains in charge.

All my recent decisions have been made for the sake of Senegalese football, now and above all for the future.

The message is clear: he does not appear to be backing down from his decision. In Senegal, some voices have already begun calling for disciplinary sanctions against him.

Nafongo TRAORE |

News Editorfr, ar, en

Nafongon Moussa TRAORE, Burkinabè de 25 ans, est passionné de football, est rédacteur pour Foot Africa et commentateur pour BurkiFoot.

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