Former Arsenal Star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Quits Gabon National Team Citing Humiliation After AFCON

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the captain of Gabon and all-time leading scorer for the Panthers, has announced his retirement from international football. The 37-year-old former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund star stated that he felt "humiliated" following his exclusion and subsequent reinstatement after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Gabon suffered a group-stage exit from the tournament after enduring three consecutive defeats, concluding with a loss against Ivory Coast. Following the failure, the Gabonese government singled out Aubameyang, leading him to declare in a television interview, "They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured. This is the last straw, and I'd rather stop here."

Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema remarked during the fallout that a part of the national identity had been weakened. Consequently, the government dismissed the coaching staff, suspended the national team indefinitely, and sidelined both Aubameyang and 38-year-old Bruno Ecuele Manga, sparking widespread outrage among Gabonese supporters.

Reflecting on the situation, Aubameyang noted that the team's struggles run much deeper than his own involvement. Having previously left Marseille to join Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga, the striker now leaves new national team coach Sebastien Migne to plan without him as Gabon prepares for upcoming qualifiers in a group that includes Morocco, Niger, and Lesotho.