Senegal’s World Cup campaign ended in Seattle after they surrendered a two-goal lead and fell 3-2 to Belgium in extra time. First-half strikes from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had the Teranga Lions in control and seemingly bound for the quarterfinals. Belgium stormed back late in regulation through Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans, forcing the additional period. In the 125th minute, a VAR review penalized substitute Lamine Camara for a foul inside the box, and Tielemans converted the spot-kick to complete the turnaround.

Pape Gueye, who had scored twice earlier in the tournament, was withdrawn in the 66th minute with Senegal still leading 2-0. Hours after the final whistle, the Villarreal midfielder posted on Instagram: “I announce that as long as this technical staff remains, I will take a break from the national team.” Coach Pape Thiaw defended the substitution, stating that several players had requested to come off due to fatigue and that leaving exhausted players on the pitch would have been unprofessional. Gueye contradicted that account, telling reporters in the mixed zone that he felt physically fine and that the decision was the coach’s alone.

The fallout resonated immediately in Senegal. Local outlet Seneweb reported that a fan petition demanding Thiaw’s dismissal gathered over 30,000 verified signatures, addressed to the president of the Senegalese Football Federation. European media noted Gueye’s market value of €40 million and his status as one of the squad’s most valuable assets. The federation has not issued an official statement on the situation.

Senegal’s next competitive engagements are the 2030 World Cup qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations. Whether Gueye’s stance holds and how the federation addresses the coaching question will shape the team’s immediate future, with the midfielder’s availability now uncertain.