The Gabon team is quickly eliminated from the Africa Cup. Now the government is reacting to the failure - and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is at the center of it.
01.01.2026, 16:03
dpa
Following the Gabonese national football team's elimination from the preliminary round of the Africa Cup, the government of the Central African country has temporarily suspended the entire team. Communications Minister Simlicee-Désiré Mamboula announced that the government had also decided to disband the coaching team and dismiss the players Bruno Ecuélé Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the team. The team had put in a "disgraceful performance" at the tournament in Morocco.
Aubameyang left early
According to reports, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema had already warned before this decision that the national team's performance was damaging the country's national pride. Most recently, Gabon had already missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
At the Africa Cup, Gabon were eliminated in the preliminary round without gaining any points and finished last in their group after three defeats in three games against Mozambique, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire. Star player Aubameyang had already returned to his French club Olympique Marseille after two games in agreement with the federation. At the age of 36, this could mean the end of his national team career.
