The Gabonese government has taken unprecedented and drastic action following the national football team's "disgraceful" performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. Announcing an immediate suspension of the national team, known as the "Panthers," the government has also dismissed head coach Thierry Mouyouma and excluded two of its most prominent players: captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and defender Bruno Ecuele Manga.

The severe measures come after Gabon exited the tournament without securing a single victory. Acting Sports Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula conveyed the government's decision on national television, stating, "Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang." The full government statement further detailed that the team's performance was "diametrically opposed to the values of ethics and exemplarity advocated by the Fifth Republic," and called on the Gabonese Football Federation to "assume all its responsibilities."

During their AFCON campaign, Gabon suffered back-to-back defeats against Cameroon and Mozambique, which led to their early elimination from contention. Their final Group F match, a dead rubber against defending champions Ivory Coast, also resulted in a 3-2 loss. Despite taking a commanding 2-0 lead with early goals from Guélor Kanga and Denis Bouanga, Gabon collapsed in the second half. Ivory Coast mounted a dramatic comeback with Jean-Philippe Krasso pulling one back, followed by substitutes Evann Guessand and Bazoumana Touré, both assisted by Christopher Opéri, completing the turnaround.

The exclusion of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga marks a significant shift for the national team. Aubameyang, Gabon's leading goalscorer with 41 goals, did not participate in the final match against Ivory Coast, having returned to his French club Olympique de Marseille a day earlier for treatment on a thigh injury. He had, however, scored in their 3-2 defeat to Mozambique. Ecuele Manga, the country's most capped player with 105 appearances, started Gabon's first two games at AFCON but was notably dropped from the squad for the Ivory Coast encounter. He also returned to his club for treatment alongside Aubameyang.

This recent failure at AFCON adds to a history of disappointment for Gabonese football. In November, the team failed to qualify for the World Cup after losing to Nigeria in a one-legged play-off semi-final. Despite winning eight of their ten World Cup qualifiers, Gabon finished a crucial point behind group leaders Ivory Coast, underscoring a pattern of underperformance in critical tournaments.