Gabon Government dissolves national team, sacks coach and drops Aubameyang after AFCON exit

Gabon’s government has taken drastic action following the national team’s disastrous Africa Cup of Nations campaign, suspending the Panthers, dismissing the coaching staff and removing star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by acting Sports Minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula, who confirmed the decision on national television after Gabon finished bottom of their group and crashed out of the tournament in Morocco without a win.

Speaking after Gabon’s 3–2 defeat to Ivory Coast in Marrakesh, Mamboula said the government had opted for sweeping measures in response to what he described as an unacceptable showing at the continental finals.

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He stated,

Gabon, coached by former international defender Thierry Mouyouma, had already been eliminated after back-to-back Group F defeats to Cameroon and Mozambique.

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Their final match summed up a chaotic campaign, as they surrendered a 2–0 lead against the defending champions before conceding three goals to a largely second-string Ivorian side.

Neither Aubameyang nor veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga featured in that match. Aubameyang had returned to Olympique de Marseille for treatment on a thigh injury, while Ecuele Manga was also absent from the matchday squad.

The former African Footballer of the Year later reacted on social media, distancing himself from the fallout and suggesting the issues extended beyond individual players. “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am,” he wrote on X.

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At 36, Aubameyang may have already played his final international match for Gabon, with the same likely true for the 37-year-old Ecuele Manga, formerly of Cardiff City.

While disbanding or suspending national teams was once a familiar response to poor tournament performances in parts of Africa, such interventions have become increasingly rare.

FIFA has taken a firm stance against government interference in football administration, making Gabon’s move a notable and controversial step.