Skip to content
Mumbai · Thursday, 3 September 2026

National Revealed

The Truth can never be hidden

Sports

‘Humiliated and smeared me’: Former Arsenal forward unhappy with national side

By Sohail Khan 3 September 2026, 11:47 am

Former Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has expressed his unhappiness with Gabon’s national team. He said he felt humiliated by the team after the AFCON cup held in Moscow in 2025, when he was first left out and then later reinstated.

“They humiliated and smeared me even though I played at the AFCON while injured,” the 37-year-old said in a television interview. “This is the last straw, and I’d rather stop here.”

“I think the team’s problems run much deeper than the little person that I am,” said Aubameyang

Story continues below this ad

“It’s a part of our national identity that has been weakened,” Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema said at the time.

At the time, Gabon’s Minister of Sports announced on television the suspension of the national team after they finished last in their group and were eliminated from the tournament in Morocco.

“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,” he said.

Earlier in the summer, the striker moved on from French club Marseille to sign for Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna, who just earned promotion back to La Liga after years away, at the start of the season.

Story continues below this ad

His form has been pretty good for the Spanish side at the start of the season as he scored for the third straight game.

The Gabon forward struck again on Sunday to give the promoted side from northwest Spain a 2-0 lead over Valencia.

Aubameyang scored on a counterattack, holding off two defenders, going around one, and then chipping the ball over the goalkeeper.

The match finished 3-1, marking Deportivo’s first win since its return. The 37-year-old Aubameyang previously scored in 1-1 draws with Elche and Malaga in La Liga.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *