Gabon Disbands National Football Team Following AFCON Disappointment
LIBREVILLE, Gabon – Gabon has taken the drastic step of suspending its national football team, dismissing the entire coaching staff, and dropping its senior players, including long-time captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in the wake of a disastrous Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign.
The decision, announced by the country’s football association, comes after the Panthers finished at the bottom of their group in Morocco, losing all three matches. Their tournament ended with a narrow 3-2 defeat to eventual champions Ivory Coast, following earlier losses to Ghana and Mozambique.
The overhaul signals a complete reset for Gabonese football. The coaching staff, led by Spanish manager Patrice Neveu, has been relieved of its duties. Most notably, the federation has opted to move on from its veteran core, sidelining iconic striker Aubameyang and other seasoned internationals in favor of building a new, younger squad.
Aubameyang, 36, who missed the final group match due to injury, responded to the news on social media. The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward suggested the team’s issues were systemic, writing: “If you think it’s me that’s the problem, that’s good. But the problems of the Gabonese national team are much deeper than ‘Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’.”
This type of sweeping governmental or federation reaction was once a frequent occurrence in African football following tournament failures. However, such moves have grown increasingly rare in recent decades. World governing body FIFA takes a firm stance against political or governmental interference in football affairs and has previously suspended national associations for similar overreach, which may pose a risk to Gabon’s participation in upcoming FIFA-sanctioned competitions.
The Gabonese football authorities have not yet announced a timeline for the national team’s return to action or detailed plans for its reconstruction. The move leaves the future of one of Africa’s most recognisable football figures, Aubameyang, in international limbo, and marks a turbulent new chapter for the sport in the country.
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