Aubameyang Retires from Gabon National Team Amid Controversy

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon's all-time leading scorer, has declared his retirement from international football, expressing feelings of humiliation and unfair treatment after Gabon's disappointing performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. The 37-year-old striker's announcement follows a controversial period where he was dropped from the national team alongside defender Bruno Ecuele Manga, only to be reinstated later.

Aubameyang stated that he played at AFCON while injured, which he believes contributed to the team's poor performance, culminating in three losses and an exit at the group stage. Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema described the team's failure as a blow to national identity, leading to the dissolution of the coaching staff and suspension of the national team.

Aubameyang criticized the decision to single him and Manga out, asserting that the national team's issues are more profound than individual player contributions. His retirement leaves new head coach Sébastien Migné with the challenge of rebuilding the team without one of its most influential figures.