Picture Credit: Twitter
Barcelona striker and Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang announced retirement from international football on Thursday. In his illustrious career, Aubameyang made 72 appearances and emerged as the leading goal-scorer for his country.
The Gabon federation published excerpts from Aubameyang's letter, where he expressed gratitude towards his fans, coaches, teammates and his father, who also represented Gabon in the 1980s and 90s. "After 13 years of pride in playing for my nation, I have decided that I am ending my international career", the 32-year-old wrote in an open letter to Gabon fans.
He further stated that he will cherish his time playing for Gabon and recalled the moment when he made his debut. "I will cherish several good memories, like the day I made my debut or the day I came back from Nigeria with the African Ballon d'Or. I would also like to thank all my coaches, staff and the players that I have come across during this career," he wrote.
Aubameyang has captained the national team for a number of years and also scored their first-ever Olympic goal during the London 2012 games. In his statement, the striker added, "The captain of the Panthers will no longer be with the national team for the next qualifiers, the final phase of which is scheduled in Cote d'Ivoire. The FC Barcelona striker has decided to end his international career and sent a letter to the Gabonese Football Federation (FEGAFOOT) on May 17, 2022."
Aubameyang led Gabon to the 2012 African Cup of Nations quarterfinals to equal its best performance in international football. Aubameyang's last tournament with Gabon was quite a disappointment as he contracted COVID-19 at the start of this year's African Cup in Cameroon. After being diagnosed with heart lesions, he had to withdraw from the tournament without playing a single game.