TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025: Know Your Team: Gabon
Gabon enters the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 aiming to mark their return to Africa’s premier football competition with renewed energy and ambition.
After missing out on the previous edition, Gabon is ready to reestablish itself as a competitive force under the leadership of former international Thierry Mouyouma.
Head Coach: Thierry Mouyouma
Appointed in October 2023, Thierry Mouyouma has brought a fresh perspective to Gabonese football. A former national team stalwart with 82 caps, the 49-year-old has had a successful domestic coaching career, winning three league titles with FC 105. His appointment followed the team's failure to qualify for the 2023 AFCON, and he quickly set the tone by leading Gabon to qualification for Morocco 2025. Mouyouma is only the second Gabonese coach to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of Alain Da Costa Soares.
“Guiding Gabon to AFCON is both a privilege and a challenge,” said Mouyouma. “Our goal is to represent our country with pride and aim for new milestones in Moroccan soil.”
Factfile
- Nickname: Les Panthères (The Panthers)
- FIFA Ranking: 84
- Best AFCON Performance: Quarter-finals (1996, 2012)
- Previous AFCON Appearances: 8 (1994, 1996, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2021)
How Gabon Qualified
Gabon was drawn into Group B of the AFCON qualifiers alongside Morocco, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic. Despite facing stiff competition, they finished second in the group with 10 points behind Morocco, who achieved a perfect 18 points. Gabon managed three wins and a draw, scoring 10 goals but conceding nine. Both defeats came against the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists, Morocco, highlighting the challenges they faced in qualifying.
Player to Watch: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
At 35 years old, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains the talisman for Gabon. The all-time top scorer for the national team with 33 goals, Aubameyang proved instrumental in the qualifiers with two goals and crucial leadership on the pitch. Currently plying his trade at Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, Aubameyang has already netted seven goals in 14 appearances this season. The five-time AFCON participant will look to further cement his legacy at Morocco 2025.
Did You Know?
- Gabon has never advanced past the quarter-finals in any of their eight AFCON appearances, despite hosting the tournament twice (2012, 2017).
Previous AFCON Performances
- 1994: Group Stage
- 1996: Quarter-finals
- 2000: Group Stage
- 2010: Group Stage
- 2012: Quarter-finals
- 2015: Group Stage
- 2017: Group Stage
- 2021: Round of 16
As Gabon prepares to make their ninth AFCON appearance, all eyes will be on how the team, guided by Thierry Mouyouma and led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, performs in Morocco. Will this be the year The Panthers finally roar past the quarter-finals? Football fans across Africa will be watching closely.