After three straight losses in the African Championship, the Gabonese government has gone straight into "reset everything" mode: the national team is suspended, the coaching staff is disbanded - and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang himself is finished in the national team jersey.
– Shameful, was the verdict from acting Sports Minister Simplice-Désire Mamboula on live TV. When a minister starts evaluating the press game, you know the situation has slipped a bit.
Led 2–0. Lost 3–2. Disbanded.
The irony is palpable. Gabon led 2–0 against Ivory Coast in the last match – before everything collapsed. Three goals later, not only was the match lost, but the entire national team project was put on hold.
The results?
- Loss against Cameroon
- Loss against Mozambique
- Collapse against Ivory Coast
Group winner? No. Group runner-up? No. Group third? Neither.
When the state takes control
According to Reuters, it was previously quite common in African football to “disband the national team” after weak championships. The problem in the 2026 version of world football is that FIFA really doesn’t like it when politicians interfere.
That makes this move both dramatic – and potentially costly for Gabon.
This is football's answer to pulling the plug because the TV is on the wrong channel. The results were poor – yes. But when the solution is to suspend the entire national team, it's fair to ask whether anyone has lost track of both football and public decency.
After all, football is about losing, learning – and coming back stronger.
Not about being disbanded by the state after the group stage.
