Gabon: Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has announced that he is stepping back from the national team, citing feelings of 'humiliation' following his exclusion and subsequent reinstatement after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. The decision marks the end of an era for the top scorer in the history of the Panthers.
According to Ghana Web, Aubameyang was singled out by the Gabonese government as being responsible for the team's failure at AFCON. Despite playing while injured, the 37-year-old expressed his discontent in a television interview, saying, "They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured." He further added, "This is the last straw, and I'd rather stop here."
Gabon faced elimination from AFCON during the group stage after suffering three consecutive defeats, the final blow dealt by Ivory Coast. Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema commented on the situation, stating, "It's a part of our national identity that has been weakened."
In response to the AFCON outcome, the Gabonese government took drastic measures by firing the coaching staff, suspending the team indefinitely, and sidelining Aubameyang along with 38-year-old Bruno Ecuele Manga. These actions sparked outrage among Gabonese supporters, who viewed the suspension of the veteran players as unjust.
Aubameyang, reflecting on the situation, remarked, "I think the team's problems run much deeper than the little person that I am." He has since set his sights on a new chapter in Europe, moving from Marseille to join Deportivo La Coruna, who have recently returned to La Liga.
As Gabon's new national team coach, Sebastien Migne, prepares for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers, he will now face the challenge of planning without the experienced Aubameyang. Gabon is placed in Group A alongside World Cup quarter-finalists Morocco, as well as Niger and Lesotho.