Aubameyang Misses Gabon's Final AFCON Match Due to Thigh Injury

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon's veteran striker and national team talisman, will miss his country's final group stage match against Ivory Coast at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco due to a thigh injury, the Gabon Football Federation announced Tuesday. The 36-year-old forward is returning immediately to his club, Olympique de Marseille, for further treatment, as Gabon has already been eliminated from the tournament after losses in its first two Group F games.

The decision follows daily clinical examinations conducted under a medical protocol agreed upon by Gabon and Marseille staff. The federation's statement noted that the most recent check confirmed discomfort in Aubameyang's left thigh, which emerged the day after Gabon's 3-2 defeat to Mozambique on Sunday. In that match, held in Marrakech, Aubameyang played the full 90 minutes and scored from the penalty spot, his only goal of the tournament. He had also substituted in after 30 minutes during the 1-0 opening loss to Cameroon on Christmas Eve. With Gabon at the bottom of the group with zero points, Wednesday's fixture against the reigning champions carries no implications for advancement, allowing both parties to...