Gabon’s national football team was suspended after AFCON exit in a dramatic fashion as the sports minister made the announcement on the television.
Gabon’s national football team has been thrown into turmoil following their elimination from the
2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. In an unusual move, the government has taken sweeping action affecting both the squad and the coaching staff.
The decision comes after the team completed its group-stage fixtures, which included a dramatic match against the Ivory Coast, where Gabon initially led 2-0 before ultimately losing 3-2. Earlier defeats against Cameroon and Mozambique had already ended their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.
Why did the government suspend Gabon team?
After the final match, Gabon’s acting sports minister, Simplice-Désiré Mamboula, announced that the national team would be suspended until further notice. Coach Thierry Mouyouma was sacked, and senior players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga were removed from the squad.
Interestingly, Simplice-Désiré Mamboula announced the shocking decisions on television.
“Considering the disgraceful performance of the Panthers during the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, and taking into account the multifaceted effects contrary to the values of ethics and exemplary conduct promoted by the Fifth Republic, the Government has decided: To dissolve the technical staff; To suspend the National Team until further notice; To exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Furthermore, the Government invites the Gabonese Football Federation to take full responsibility,” Mamboula said.
Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga had seen limited action during the tournament. The former had already returned to his French club, Olympique de Marseille, for treatment on a thigh injury, while Manga did not feature in the last match. On social media, Aubameyang hinted that the team’s issues ran deeper than any individual.
“I think the team’s problems are far deeper than the small person that I am,” he wrote on X while replying to a fan. Both Aubameyang and Manga could have played their final matches for Gabon, with their international careers now likely coming to an end.
Je pense que les problèmes de l’equipe sont bien plus profond que la petite personne que je suis 🤷🏽♂️
— AUBA⚡️ (@Auba) December 31, 2025
Mouyouma, on the other hand, was only the second local manager to guide Gabon to AFCON. Gabon have never won the Africa Cup of Nations and have also never gone past the quarter-finals. Their best runs came in 1996 and 2012, when they reached the last eight, with the 2012 tournament played at home.
It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds, as FIFA rules strictly prohibit government interference in football matters. The move could potentially put the Gabonese Football Federation at risk of sanctions or even a ban from the world governing body.
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