Aubameyang quits Gabon national team after 2025 AFCON exit

Gabon’s record scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has quit the national team after what he called “humiliation” following the country’s early exit at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 37-year-old striker announced his decision in a television interview, saying he felt smeared by officials who publicly blamed him for Gabon’s group-stage elimination in Morocco. “They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured,” Aubameyang said. “This is the last straw, and I’d rather stop here.” Gabon were knocked out after three straight defeats, including a 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast that sealed their fate.

The fallout started immediately after the tournament. The Gabonese government fired the coaching staff, suspended the entire squad, and sidelined not only Aubameyang but also veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga. Fans flooded social media with protests, arguing the punishment was excessive and misdirected. President Brice Oligui Nguema had earlier called the team’s performance “a weakening of our national identity,” and the government’s response looked like a scapegoating campaign rather than a serious rebuild. Aubameyang, who played through injury and remains Europe’s most decorated Gabonese striker, said he now sees no future in the set-up.

His departure hands a fresh headache to new coach Sébastien Migné, who must prepare for World Cup quarter-finalists Morocco in next month’s AFCON qualifiers without his talisman. Gabon sit in Group A alongside Morocco, Niger and Lesotho, and Migné faces the unenviable task of rebuilding morale and results in double-quick time. Aubameyang, who leaves Marseille for Spanish side Deportivo La Coruña this week, is widely expected to play his final season in Europe. His exit closes a chapter that began when he first wore the Gabon shirt 15 years ago, and it leaves the Panthers without their most recognizable talent just as they try to climb back from rock bottom.