Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cites his treatment during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as the reason for stepping down as captain and ending his international career.
Published On 2 Sep 2026
Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has announced his departure from the national team, revealing he felt “humiliated” by his exclusion and subsequent reinstatement following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The all-time leading scorer for the Panthers was publicly singled out by the Gabonese government, who placed the blame for the national team’s AFCON failure squarely on his shoulders.
“They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured,” the 37-year-old striker stated during a recent television interview. “This is the last straw, and I would rather stop here.”
Gabon was eliminated from the tournament in the group stage after suffering three consecutive defeats, the final one coming against Ivory Coast.
“It is a part of our national identity that has been weakened,” Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema commented at the time.
In the aftermath of the defeat, the government dismissed the coaching staff, suspended the national team indefinitely, and sidelined both Aubameyang and 38-year-old defender Bruno Ecuele Manga.
The decision to sideline these veteran mainstays of the squad triggered a wave of outrage among Gabonese supporters.
“I think the team’s problems run much deeper than the little person that I am,” remarked Aubameyang, who was regarded as one of Europe’s top strikers during his tenure at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.
The Gabonese forward has now set himself what is likely to be a final challenge in European football, leaving Marseille to join Deportivo La Coruna, who have recently returned to La Liga after a lengthy absence from the top flight.
Sebastien Migne, Gabon’s newly appointed national team coach, will now have to prepare for upcoming fixtures without his star striker as the team gears up for its first qualifiers later this month for the next edition of the AFCON.
Gabon is placed in Group A alongside World Cup quarter-finalists Morocco, as well as Niger and Lesotho.
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