Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended in shock and anger, and the fallout has been swift and brutal. After three defeats and a bottom-place finish, the government suspended the national team, sacked the coach, and removed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad. It was a dramatic response to a tournament that unravelled game by game.
Gabon’s acting Sports Minister, Simplice-Desire Mamboula, delivered the verdict live on television. “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,” he said. The announcement followed a painful 3-2 defeat to Ivory Coast in Marrakesh.
The result summed up Gabon’s AFCON in full. Already eliminated after losses to Cameroon and Mozambique, they raced into a 2-0 lead against the defending champions. What followed was a collapse, as Ivory Coast, fielding a weakened side, scored three times to expose Gabon’s fragile defence and fading belief.
Head coach Thierry Mouyouma paid the price for a campaign that never found rhythm. Gabon finished bottom of Group F, with tactical confusion and poor game management evident throughout. The team struggled to protect leads, control tempo, or respond when pressure arrived.
Aubameyang did not feature in the final match. The 36-year-old forward had returned to Marseille for treatment on a thigh injury, leaving Gabon without their talisman when emotions were already running high. Veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga, now 37, was also absent.
The former African Footballer of the Year later responded on social media. “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am,” Aubameyang wrote on X. His words reflected a squad divided by age, form, and expectation.
This tournament may mark the end of an era. Aubameyang’s likely final appearance came in the defeat to Mozambique, while Ecuele Manga’s international future also appears closed. For a generation that carried Gabon’s hopes for over a decade, the exit felt abrupt and heavy.
Suspending a national team was once common in African football. Today, it is rare due to FIFA’s firm stance on government interference. Gabon now face uncertainty, with rebuilding required both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
