Pape Gueye steps down from national team over frustration with coach

Senegal was leading by two goals in the first half, but a complete disaster followed as they conceded three goals. With an incredible 3-2 victory, Belgium knocked Senegal out to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

Following this heartbreaking defeat, internal conflicts within the Senegal camp have come to light. Expressing his frustration with the coaching staff, Pape Gueye has announced his retirement from international football. The 27-year-old midfielder made it clear that he will not take the field for his country as long as the coaching staff led by Pape Thiaw remains in charge.

Venting his anger on social media, Pape Gueye wrote, "I will come back to tell you more about this exit. However, today I am announcing that I am taking a break from the national team as long as the current coaching staff is in charge."

Yet, the story of the match could have been entirely different. With goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr, Senegal was in complete control of the game. It seemed they were easily cruising into the next round. Pape Gueye himself has been in great form in this World Cup, scoring two goals in the tournament.

Shortly after the 60th minute of the match, coach Pape Thiaw adopted a defensive strategy to hold onto the lead. He substituted Pape Gueye off and brought Lamine Camara onto the pitch. That very decision seemingly turned out to be fatal.

The entire scenario shifted in the final four minutes of regular time. With goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans, Belgium staged an incredible comeback to equalize, pushing the game into extra time. Disappointment followed for Senegal there too. A foul inside the box by Senegal's substitute player Camara was caught by VAR, resulting in a penalty for Belgium. Tielemans made no mistake from the spot, scoring his second goal of the match to seal the victory for his team.

Just like the Senegalese fans, Pape Gueye could not accept such a defeat after holding a two-goal lead. The midfielder's intense frustration with the coach's tactics and decisions is evident in his grievance. With a heart full of disappointment and immense anger toward the coach, the Villarreal midfielder has effectively said goodbye to the national team alongside their World Cup exit.