Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been plunged into another major controversy after the Gabon government suspended him from the national team. The decision follows a calamitous African Cup of Nations campaign that saw the Panthers eliminated in the group stage.
Government Steps In After Humiliating Exit
The dramatic move was announced publicly by Sports Minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula on Gabon Television. He stated that, given the team's "disgraceful performance," the government had decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the entire national team setup, and remove both captain Bruno Ecuele Manga and star striker Aubameyang from the squad.
Although the announcement video was mysteriously deleted from official channels hours later, the suspension stands. It marks a stunning fall from grace for the 36-year-old Marseille forward, whose international career now hangs in the balance.
A Miserable Tournament Unfolds
Aubameyang's AFCON experience was troubled from the start. He arrived late to the camp in Morocco on 22 December due to a thigh strain, just two days before Gabon's opening match against Cameroon. Despite not being fully fit, coach Thierry Mouyouma brought him on as a substitute after 33 minutes with his side already losing.
The veteran striker did manage to score in the subsequent 3-2 defeat to Mozambique on 28 December, but reports from French publication L'Equipe suggest he was critical of teammates' attitudes at half-time. Frustration boiled over on the pitch, where he was heard shouting "One cross, just one cross" and telling a teammate to be quiet.
With Gabon already eliminated, Aubameyang then returned to France and his club Marseille after just two matches, missing the final group game against Ivory Coast. Mouyouma defended this decision, citing a pre-agreed protocol with Marseille once qualification was impossible.
Echoes of Past Conflicts
This very public row inevitably draws parallels with Aubameyang's acrimonious departure from Arsenal in February 2022. The striker, who was a huge fan favourite after scoring both goals in the 2020 FA Cup final win for Mikel Arteta, saw his relationship with the club disintegrate.
It began when he arrived late for a North London derby in March 2021 and was compounded by a later delayed return from a sanctioned trip to France. He eventually left for Barcelona by "mutual agreement."
Responding to the current crisis on social media platform X, Aubameyang suggested the national team's issues ran deeper than him, posting: "I think the team's problems are much deeper than the small person that I am."
The criticism of the team's AFCON performance came from the very top, with Gabon President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema lambasting the loss to Mozambique. He said it revealed a "lack of method," "dispersion of resources," and a "worrying erosion of patriotic spirit."
For now, Aubameyang's focus returns to Marseille, where he enjoys a strong relationship with manager Roberto De Zerbi. However, his long-term future with the Gabon national team, for whom he has been a talisman for over a decade, appears to be over following this latest and most serious fallout.
