Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international career looks to have ended with a whimper as he headed back to France on Tuesday and will miss Gabon’s last game at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
After losing their opening two matches in Group F to Cameroon and Mozambique, Gabon have been eliminated with one match left to play against holders Ivory Coast in Marrakech on Wednesday.
At the age of 36, it was expected the clash against the Ivorians would bring down the curtain on his 16-year international career but he will skip the last group game as he returns to his club Olympique de Marseille.
A thigh injury on the eve of the tournament in Morocco meant his participation was in doubt, but he came on after 30 minutes against Cameroon in Gabon’s opening game on Christmas Eve and played the full game against Mozambique on Sunday, scoring in the 3-2 defeat.
“Following the established medical protocol between Marseille and Gabon medical staff regarding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, clinical examinations were conducted daily,” said a statement on Tuesday from the Gabon football federation.
“The most recent examination confirmed the discomfort he experienced in his left thigh the day after the Gabon-Mozambique match. Given the disappointing results, which cut short Gabon’s participation, the medical staff, in consultation with his club, agreed to protect the player's physical well-being by exempting him from the final, inconsequential match."
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GABON’S LONG TIME TALISMAN
Aubameyang has long been Gabon’s talisman, electing to play for the team his father had captained, even after playing for France, where he was born, at junior level.
He made his debut for Gabon in 2009, scoring against Morocco in a World Cup qualifier, and went on to win 82 caps and score 39 goals.
Aubameyang helped Gabon reach the Cup of Nations quarterfinal when they hosted the tournament in 2012 but was the only player to fail to convert his penalty in a post-match shootout loss to Mali.
The tournament in Morocco was Aubameyang’s sixth Cup of Nations finals appearance. He was African Footballer of the Year in 2015.
Earlier this year, he helped Gabon finish as one of the four best runners-up in the World Cup qualifiers, including four goals in the game against Gambia in October. Gabon, however, lost in last month’s Africa playoffs, ending hopes of qualifying for a first-ever World Cup finals appearance in North America next June.