Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and one other player have been suspended after Gabon were eliminated in the group stage of the African Cup of Nations.
Published January 1, 2026
Gabon’s government has suspended its national team and sacked coach and kickster forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the team following three defeats in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Gabon’s acting sports minister, Simplice Desiree Mamboula, announced on television on Wednesday the suspension of the national team after they finished last in their group and were eliminated from the Morocco tournament.
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“In view of the Panthers’ embarrassing performance in the African Cup of Nations, the government has decided to disband the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice and exclude players Bruno Ekuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Mamboula said after the 3-2 loss to Ivory Coast in Marrakech.
Gabon, coached by former defender Thierry Muyuma, had already been eliminated from Group F after losing to Cameroon and Mozambique in their opening matches, but despite leading the defending champions 2-0 in the final match, they conceded three goals and were defeated by Ivory Coast in second place.
Neither Aubameyang nor veteran defender Ekuele Manga played on Wednesday, with Aubameyang returning to French club Olympique de Marseille to receive treatment for a thigh injury.
The former African Player of the Year reacted on social media, saying of X: “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than me as an individual.”
Aubameyang, 36, likely played his last game for Gabon in the defeat to Mozambique, as did former Cardiff City defender Ekuele Manga, 37.
Disbanding national teams was once a common response to disappointing results in Africa, but such events have become rare since FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, took a tough stance against government interference in the running of soccer associations.
