Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has brought his Gabon career to an end after a bitter fallout with the national team, saying he can no longer accept the treatment he received following the country’s disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The 37-year-old captain revealed that his decision came after he was dropped from the squad and later brought back, with the experience leaving him feeling “humiliated”. Aubameyang was also blamed by the Gabonese government for the team’s poor showing at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
“They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured,” the striker said in a television interview on Wednesday.
“This is the last straw, and I’d rather stop here.”
Aubameyang, who remains Gabon’s record goalscorer, played at the tournament despite carrying an injury as the Panthers endured a difficult campaign.
The team suffered three straight defeats and failed to progress from the group stage, with Ivory Coast delivering the final blow.
The poor run prompted a major shake-up, with the government dismissing the coaching staff and suspending the national team until further notice. Aubameyang and fellow veteran Bruno Ecuele Manga, 38, were also left out of the team.
The decision to remove the two experienced players led to strong reactions from Gabonese fans, who expressed their disappointment over the treatment of the established national team figures.
Aubameyang rejected the idea that the team’s struggles could be placed on his shoulders, pointing to wider problems within the side.
“I think the team’s problems run much deeper than the little person that I am,” he said.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal striker is now turning his attention to club football, having left Marseille for Deportivo La Coruna. The Spanish side have returned to La Liga after a long spell outside the top flight.
His departure leaves new Gabon coach Sebastien Migne with a major decision to make as he prepares for the team’s first qualifiers later this month for next year’s AFCON.
Gabon have been placed in Group A alongside Morocco, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals, Niger and Lesotho, with Aubameyang no longer available to lead the attack.