Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and ex-Premier League star banned by Gabon as team ‘disbanded’ after AFCON exit

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been banned by the Gabon national team after their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Panthers were eliminated from the group stage of the tournament in what was arguably their worst AFCON outing in their history. Gabon’s Minister of Sports announced the suspension of the national team.

AFP

“Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” acting sports minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula said on Thursday.

Former Arsenal and Chelsea forward Aubameyang was named alongside former Cardiff City centre-back Bruno Ecuele Manga as the two players who are officially excluded from representing their country.

In their first game of the AFCON group stages, Gabon – coached by former defender Thierry Mouyouma – suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon, before Mozambique handed them a 3-2 defeat in their second game of the group stage.

Gabon President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema publicly criticised the team after the defeat against Mozambique on December 28, in which he claimed that the loss showed “the lack of method and the dispersion of resources” as well as a “worrying erosion of patriotic spirit in the management of sporting affairs.”

Already eliminated from the tournament entering their third and final group stage game against the Ivory Coast, Gabon were looking to salvage some dignity.

However, after going up 2-0 against The Elephants in Marrakech on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Guelor Kanga and Denis Bouanga, the Panthers fell apart defensively and conceded three goals to a second-string Ivorian lineup, two of which came with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game.

It was TSG Hoffenheim‘s 19-year-old winger Bazoumana Toure who inflicted the dagger blow and, subsequently, forced the Gabon government to take action over their national team.

Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga are given their marching orders

Although he got on the scoresheet in Gabon’s defeat to Mozambique, neither Aubameyang nor Ecuele Manga played on Wednesday, with the 36-year-old striker having already returned to Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille to begin treatment on a thigh injury.

It must be noted that he also arrived late in Morocco because of the thigh strain.

On Wednesday, the former African Footballer of the Year responded to a post on X (formerly Twitter) which accused him of being the problem on the team.

AFP

AFP

“I think the team’s problems are far deeper than the small person that I am ,” Aubameyang wrote in response.

Aubameyang was already expected to have played his last game for Gabon, as was 37-year-old Ecuele Manga, but now there is no coming back.

The former Premier League star made his debut for his national team at just 19 years old and went on to feature 83 times, scoring 40 goals.

Former Gabon captain Ecuele Manga, who played 150 games for Cardiff City over five seasons, finishes his international career with 105 appearances and nine goals.