Aubameyang retires from Gabon national team after feeling humiliated: captain of the Panthers steps away

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is closing his chapter with the Gabon national team. The captain of the Panthers announced on Tuesday in a television interview that he is stepping away from international duty after feeling humiliated by the way he was sidelined following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where Gabon crashed out in the group stage. His exit comes weeks after the Gabonese government pointed to him as one of those responsible for the team's failure at the tournament held in Morocco.

• Aubameyang leaves the Gabon national team after being excluded and later reinstated following AFCON 2025.
• The forward says he felt humiliated and that his image was tarnished.
• The Gabonese government had sidelined him along with Bruno Ecuele Manga.
• He is the all-time leading scorer for the Panthers and one of their biggest reference points.
• New head coach Sébastien Migné must face the qualifiers without his captain.

Aubameyang speaks out after the AFCON 2025 crisis

The forward made no effort to hide his frustration when explaining the reasons behind his decision. During the television interview, Aubameyang emphasized that he played in the Africa Cup of Nations while injured and that, despite that commitment, he ended up being blamed for the team's poor results. For him, that treatment was a lack of respect that ultimately broke his connection with the national side.

They humiliated me and tarnished my image when I had played in the AFCON while injured. It was the last straw and I prefer to leave it here.

Gabon's AFCON elimination and the government's response

Gabon endured an Africa Cup of Nations to forget. The team lost all three of its group-stage matches and bowed out of the competition after falling 3-2 to Ivory Coast. The early exit triggered an immediate reaction from the country's authorities, who viewed the national team's performance as a serious blow to the nation's standing.

Gabon's president, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the team's display and stated that the elimination weakened an important part of the national identity. In response, the government moved to restructure the sporting setup: it dissolved the coaching staff, temporarily suspended the national team's activity, and sidelined two of its most senior players, Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga.

Gabon fans react against the government's decision

The exclusion of the two footballers did not sit well with Panthers supporters. The government's decision sparked a wave of outrage among fans, who saw Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga as two key figures in the recent history of Gabonese football. For many, removing them from the squad was a disproportionate measure that did not address the real problems facing the national team.

Aubameyang himself spoke along those lines. In his remarks, he pointed out that the national team's problems run far deeper than his own role and that blaming him for the elimination was an oversimplification of a much more complex situation. Despite being later brought back into the fold, the damage was already done for the captain, who has now decided to permanently close his international career.

The legacy of Gabon's all-time leading scorer

Aubameyang leaves the national team as its all-time top scorer and one of the most important footballers the country has ever produced. His international career includes appearances in multiple editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and years of sustained leadership with the captain's armband. His departure marks the end of an era for the Panthers.

At 37 years old, the forward brings to a close a stage in which he combined his club career in Europe with a constant commitment to his national side. His exit comes at a delicate moment for Gabon, which must now rebuild its sporting project ahead of the next Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers without one of its most emblematic figures.

Sébastien Migné takes on the challenge without his captain

New Gabon head coach Sébastien Migné will have to manage Aubameyang's retirement while preparing the squad for upcoming commitments. The French coach, who took over after the AFCON 2025 crisis, faces the task of rebuilding a group hit by poor results and the departure of its veteran leaders.

The qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations will be the first major test for the new cycle. Without Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga, Gabon must find new leaders within the dressing room and regain the trust of a fanbase still upset by the handling of the crisis that followed the tournament in Morocco.

Frequently asked questions about Aubameyang's retirement