AFCON 2025: Auba has left the building
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 31.12.25. | 19:37
After realizing Gabon lost all chances to advance to the knockout phase, the Panthers' superstar has left the team's camp due to an alleged injury
If a survey were conducted on which team fell short and disappointed the most at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon would for sure get the highest number of votes.
The squad with respectable players like Jim Allevinah, Shavy Babicka, Jacques Ekomie, Urie-Michel Mboula, and Anthony Oyono, stars, such as Mario Lemina and Denis Bouanga, and a superstar embodied in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, couldn't afford to suffer two defeats in its first two games at the tournament - especially the one to the minnows, Mozambique.
Either way, the Panthers seriously underperformed and don't have a chance to progress from the group stage, regardless of the outcome of their final Group F clash against the Ivory Coast tonight.
Consequently, Gabon's icon Aubameyang exploited his team's hopeless situation to leave the Panthers' camp and return to his club, Olympique Marseille, due to an alleged injury, even though L'OM don't have a scheduled match for another four days.
A very strange move from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
— E. (@EDknowsfooty) December 31, 2025
Aubameyang refused to play Gabon’s final match and traveled to France, returning to his club Marseille, even though the team doesn’t have any match until January 4 after the Christmas break.
Meaning he could have played the… pic.twitter.com/piAp1iDcj8
The Ligue 1 side had already reacted to Auba's playing time, afraid that he could worsen the injury he had picked up before the AFCON, and urged Gabon head coach Thierry Mouyouma to give him more rest.
However, regardless, is the 36-year-old's move something a man revered by the whole nation should do? Abandon his teammates and let them down? Be there just in the highs and escape in the lows?
The 2025 AFCON may have been Auba's last major tournament with the Panthers. Yet, that shouldn't be his primary issue following his departure from Morocco.
Instead, he should seriously think about his status in Gabon, because no one likes deserters and fair-weather friends.
AFCON 2025 - GROUP STAGE
3rd round
Monday
Angola - Egypt 0-0
Zimbabwe - South Africa 2-3 (1-1)
/Maswanhise 19, Modiba 73 og - Moremi 7, Foster 50, Appollis 82 pen/
Comoros - Mali 0-0
Zambia - Morocco 0-3 (0-2)
/El Kaabi 9, 50, Diaz 27/
Tuesday
Tanzania - Tunisia 1-1 (0-1)
/Salum 48 - Gharbi 43 pen/
Uganda - Nigeria 1-3 (0-1)
/Mato 75 - Onuachu 28, Onyedika 62, 67/
Benin - Senegal 0-3 (0-1)
/Seck 38, Diallo 62, Ndiaye C. 90+7 pen/
Botswana - DR Congo 0-3 (0-2)
/Mbuku 31, Kakuta 41 pen, 60/
Wednesday
Equatorial Guinea - Algeria IN PROGRESS
Sudan - Burkina Faso IN PROGRESS
22.00: (6.00) Gabon (3.60) Ivory Coast (1.65)
22.00: (7.00) Mozambique (4.50) Cameroon (1.45)
***odds are subject to change***
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