A shock in the football world: a prominent nation has banned its men's football team after an early exit from a major continental tournament.
The Gabonese government has suspended the men's football team and removed star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad after losing all three matches and being eliminated in the first round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Simplicite-Desire Mambou, Gabon's Minister of Sports, stated, "Due to the disgraceful performance of Gabon's national team at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dismiss the head coach, suspend the national team until further notice, and remove Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the team."
Meanwhile, Aubameyang responded on social media, saying, "I believe the team's problems run deeper than just my own issues."
Gabon, coached by Thierry Mouyouma, was eliminated after losing all three matches in Group F, including defeats to Cameroon, Mozambique, and in the final match, despite leading two goals to nil against defending champions Ivory Coast, they conceded three goals and suffered a shocking 2-3 loss.
While suspending the national team is a measure sometimes taken by African nations after disappointing results, FIFA—the global football governing body—has strict regulations against government interference in football associations, making such incidents relatively rare.