‘The last straw’ – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang quits Gabon duty after bitter AFCON fallout

The tension between the player and the state escalated rapidly after Gabon suffered a dismal group-stage exit in Morocco. The Panthers failed to secure a single point, enduring three consecutive defeats, including a final 3-2 loss to Ivory Coast. In the wake of this sporting disaster, the Gabonese government took the extraordinary step of intervening directly in footballing matters.

This political pressure led to drastic measures that targeted both the coaching staff and the senior playing squad. Speaking at the time, Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema expressed deep concern, noting that a key element of their national identity was being eroded. As a result, the government decided to dissolve the entire technical staff and suspended the national team until further notice. Crucially, they singled out Aubameyang and fellow veteran Bruno Ecuele Manga, aged 38, by removing them from the squad entirely.