GABON’S government has announced the suspension of the national team, the sacking of the head coach and banning of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang following their disastrous outing at the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Panthers were the worst team at the ongoing tournament after suffering three defeats and getting eliminated at the group stage with zero points.
Gabon’s Minister of Sports announced on television the suspension of the national team after they finished last in their group on Wednesday night.
“Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” said acting sports minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula after Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to Cote d’Ivoire in Marrakech.
Gabon, coached by former defender Thierry Mouyouma, had already been eliminated after losing their opening two Group F fixtures to Cameroon and Mozambique but in their final fixture were 2-0 up over the defending champions before conceding three goals and going down to a second string Ivorian line-up.
Neither Aubameyang nor veteran defender Ecuele Manga played on Wednesday, with Aubameyang having returned to his French cub Olympique de Marseille for treatment on a thigh injury.
The former African Footballer of the Year responded on social media, saying on X: “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am.”
Aubameyang, at 36, had likely played his last game for Gabon in their defeat by Mozambique as was also likely the case with the 37-year-old former Cardiff City defender Ecuele Manga.
Disbanding the national team used to be a common reaction in Africa to disappointing results but since world football’s governing body FIFA has taken a hard stance against government interference in the running of football associations, it has been a rare occurrence.
With agency report