Gabon government sacks Aubameyang, suspends national team at AFCON 2025

In response to three consecutive defeats at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals, the Gabon government has suspended the national team, fired the coach, and sacked coach Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

After finishing last in their group and being expelled from the tournament in Morocco, Gabon’s acting sports minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula on Wednesday announced the national team’s suspension on television.

After the Panthers lost 3-2 to the Ivory Coast in Marrakech, Mamboula stated that the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and omit players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

After losing their opening two Group F games to Cameroon and Mozambique, Gabon, under the direction of former defender Thierry Mouyouma, went on to defeat the defending champions 2-0, before conceding three goals and starting in a second-string Ivorian lineup.

Aubameyang returned to his French club Olympique de Marseille on Wednesday after recovering from a thigh injury, and neither did veteran defender Ecuele Manga.

The former African Footballer of the Year responded on social media by saying, “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am.

At 36, Aubameyang was most likely to have played his final game for Gabon before being defeated by Mozambique, just like former Cardiff City defender Ecuele Manga.