Pape Gueye refuses further international call-ups under current Senegal technical bench

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye. (Photo: Courtesy)

By Bashir Mbuthia
Thursday, July 2, 2026

Listen

Read this story aloud

Listen to the clean text version of this article.

Ready

3 min listen

Audio reading is not supported on this browser.

Gueye announced the decision in a statement on Instagram on Thursday, signalling a loss of confidence in Senegal's technical bench, led by head coach Pape Thiaw.

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye is taking a break from international football, saying he will not play for the Lions of Teranga again until a new coaching staff is appointed.

Gueye announced the decision in a statement on Instagram on Thursday, signalling a loss of confidence in Senegal's technical bench, led by head coach Pape Thiaw.

“I will come back to say a few words about the elimination, but I am announcing today that as long as it is this technical staff, I will take a break from the selection,” the Villarreal midfielder said.

Latest Stories

Gueye was among Senegal's standout performers during the tournament, scoring twice in the emphatic 5-0 group-stage victory over Iraq. His decision marks one of the strongest public criticisms of the national team's coaching staff by a senior player in recent years and is likely to intensify scrutiny of the technical bench ahead of the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Gueye's announcement is expected to increase pressure on national team coach Thiaw, who was appointed in December 2024. His leadership has come under increased scrutiny following Senegal's latest exit from a major tournament.

One of the defining moments of his tenure came during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, when a disputed refereeing decision prompted Senegal's players to leave the pitch in protest before eventually returning to complete the match. Although Senegal believed it had secured the title on the field through a solitary Gueye goal, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) later reviewed the incident, ruled that the team's actions violated tournament regulations and awarded the championship to Morocco instead.