Barcelona’s forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made a decision to retire from Gabon national team. Aubameyang’s retirement was confirmed by the Gabonese Football Federation (FEGAFOOT).
According to FEGAFOOT, Aubameyang informed them of his decision via letter on Tuesday.
“After 13 years of pride in representing my country, I announce that I am ending my international career,” said Aubameyang. “I would like to thank the Gabonese people and all those who have supported me in good and bad times.”
Aubameyang retires as arguably the best player in Gabon history and the nation’s leading scorer. He made 72 appearances for the national side and scored 30 goals. His biggest success in Gabon jersey is reaching the 2012 African Cup of Nations quarterfinals.
The 32-year-old player, who served as the national team’s captain since 2014, played his last game for Gabon in a 1-1 friendly against Mauritania in early January. He was set to lead the team at the 2022 African Cup of Nations but was forced to miss the tournament due to illness.
Without Aumabeyang, Gabon now faces the challenging task of remaining competitive on the international stage. The rest of their roster is mostly comprised of players coming from clubs outside the world’s strongest leagues. Their only hope is for some younger players to make a breakthrough with Brighton’s Ulrick Eneme Ella seeming the most likely candidate.
