Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang retires from international football amid Gabon turmoil, reports BritPanorama.
The forward has opted to end his tenure with the Gabon national team following a contentious fallout with the country’s authorities after their disappointing performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The 37-year-old, Gabon’s all-time leading scorer, experienced an early exit from the tournament, where Gabon lost all three group matches. Subsequent to this failure, government officials targeted Aubameyang, blaming him personally for the results, which he termed as scapegoating.
In a revealing television interview, Aubameyang expressed feelings of public humiliation and asserted that he was unfairly singled out. “They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured,” he stated. “This is the last straw, and I’d rather stop here.”
The collapse of Gabon’s campaign, culminating in a loss to Ivory Coast, led to immediate repercussions. The government acted swiftly, dismantling the entire coaching staff and suspending the national team indefinitely. The sports minister also announced that both Aubameyang and defender Bruno Ecuele Manga had been formally excluded from the squad, a decision met with considerable outrage from fans.
Supporters of Gabon voiced their discontent, viewing the sidelining of two of the team’s most experienced players as profoundly unfair, particularly given Aubameyang’s significant contributions as the nation’s captain. As the narrative unfolded, Aubameyang highlighted the complexities within the team’s failures, suggesting that he was not the sole cause. “I think the team’s problems run much deeper than the little person that I am,” he remarked.
Amidst this backdrop, Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema publicly lamented the tournament’s impact on national pride, stating that it weakened a vital aspect of their national identity. The enormity of public blame directed at Aubameyang has evidently taken its toll, prompting his decision to retire from international duty.
With Aubameyang’s focus now shifting solely to club football, he has traded Marseille for Deportivo La Coruña following their promotion to Spain’s top flight. His new venture has seen immediate success, scoring in three consecutive La Liga matches, including a pivotal goal against Valencia that helped secure Deportivo’s first win since returning to the division.
Looking ahead, Gabon’s newly appointed coach, Sébastien Migné, faces the daunting task of rebuilding his squad in the absence of their most prolific striker, with upcoming AFCON qualifying fixtures against Morocco, Niger, and Lesotho fast approaching.
As the dust settles on this chapter of Gabonese football, one cannot help but reflect on the complexities surrounding a player who, despite being publicly vilified, has contributed so much to his nation’s footballing legacy.
