Gabon disbands national team after winless AFCON campaign
The Gabonese government has indefinitely suspended the country’s men’s national football team following a disappointing group-stage exit at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Announcing the decision, acting Minister of Sports Simplice-Désiré Mamboula described the team’s performance as “disgraceful,” revealing that senior players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga have been permanently dropped from the national setup.
In addition, the government dissolved the entire technical crew led by head coach Thierry Mouyouma, a former Gabon international defender.
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“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,” Mamboula said.
Gabon endured a disastrous outing in Group F, losing all three matches. They opened their campaign with a 1–0 defeat to Cameroon, followed by a 3–2 loss to Mozambique. In their final group game, Gabon squandered a 2–0 advantage to lose 3–2 to Côte d’Ivoire.
Neither Aubameyang nor Manga featured in the final group match. Aubameyang had returned to his club, Olympique Marseille, earlier in the week after sustaining a thigh injury.
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The AFCON disappointment followed another setback for Gabon, who were eliminated by Nigeria in the semi-finals of the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup a month earlier. After a 1–1 draw in regulation time, Gabon collapsed in extra time, losing 4–1.
The sweeping sanctions underscore growing frustration from authorities over the national team’s declining performances on the continental stage.
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