Gabonese footballer (born 1989)
Pierre-Emerick Emiliano François Aubameyang (born 18
June 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker🌟 for Ligue 1 club
Marseille and serves as captain for the Gabon national team. Having been recognised as
one of🌟 the best strikers in his prime, he was renowned for his pace, finishing, and
off-ball movement.[6]
The son of Pierre Aubameyang,🌟 Pierre-Emerick began his senior
club career playing for Italian club AC Milan, but never appeared for the club as he
🌟 went on a series of loan spells in France. He moved to Saint-Étienne in 2011. There, he
won a Coupe🌟 de la Ligue title and joined Borussia Dortmund in 2013. In Germany,
Aubameyang finished as the league's top goalscorer in🌟 the 2024–17 season and won a
DFB-Pokal. He also ranks as the club's seventh highest all-time goalscorer.[7] In 2024,
Aubameyang🌟 was the subject of a then-club record association football transfer when he
signed for Arsenal in a transfer worth £56🌟 million (€60 million), making him the most
expensive Gabonese player of all time.[8] With Arsenal, he won an FA Cup🌟 and finished
as the league's joint-top goalscorer in the 2024–19 season.[9] After departing Arsenal
in 2024, Aubameyang had spells with🌟 Barcelona and Chelsea before signing for Marseille
in 2024.
Born in France, Aubameyang chose to represent Gabon at international level,
eventually🌟 becoming the nation's all-time top goalscorer. He made his senior debut for
Gabon in 2009 aged 19, and appeared in🌟 four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the
2012 Summer Olympics. In 2024, Aubameyang was named African Footballer of the🌟 Year; the
first Gabonese and second European-born player to win the award.[10]
Club career [ edit
]
AC Milan [ edit ]
"My🌟 role model? Ronaldo, but the Brazilian, not the Portuguese one,
I think [he] has revolutionised football with his way of🌟 playing. He was dynamic,
technically strong and fast. He was an enormous player." —Aubameyang on the influence
of his idol,🌟 Brazilian striker Ronaldo, on his own career.[11]
Aubameyang joined AC
Milan's youth academy in January 2007. In August, he was part🌟 of the squad that
finished fourth in the inaugural Champions Youth Cup held in Malaysia, where he made a
name🌟 for himself and attracted the attention of scouts internationally. He scored
against every opponent Milan played, finishing with seven goals🌟 in six
matches.[12]
2008–09: Loan to Dijon [ edit ]
For the 2008–09 season, Aubameyang was
loaned out to Dijon of Ligue🌟 2 in France to gain first team experience.[13] His
performances there led him to appear in World Soccer's Talent Scout🌟 section in Summer
2009.[14] He finished with a total of ten goals and two assists in all competitions,
including two🌟 goals in a Coupe de France tie against Selongey.[15]
2009–10: Loan to
Lille [ edit ]
On 24 June 2009, it was🌟 announced Ligue 1 club Lille had decided to sign
Aubameyang on loan.[16] Relative to his previous season, however, Aubameyang did🌟 not
perform as well, scoring just two goals in 14 appearances, four as a starter.[citation
needed]
2010–11: Loans to Monaco and🌟 Saint-Étienne [ edit ]
For the 2010–11 season,
Aubameyang was loaned for the season to Monaco. On 21 August 2010, he🌟 scored his first
goal for Monaco in an away match against Lens, then scored again on 29 August at home
🌟 to Auxerre, where Monaco won 2–0.[17] In January 2011, after six months with the club,
Aubameyang was loaned to Saint-Étienne🌟 until the end of the 2010–11 season, finishing
the season with four goals and three assists. In July 2011, the🌟 loan was extended for
the entire 2011–12 season.[citation needed]
Aubameyang with Saint-Étienne in 2011
On 22
December 2011, Aubameyang signed with Saint-Étienne🌟 on a permanent deal. He was quickly
added to the starting line up and was given the number 7 jersey.🌟 In February 2012, he
scored his first hat-trick against Lorient. He became an integral part of the squad,
scoring half🌟 of the team's away goals during the season, and went on to be Ligue 1's
4th top scorer having scored🌟 16 goals behind Montpellier's Giroud with 21, PSG's Nenê
with 21 too and Lille's Eden Hazard with 20.
On 20 April🌟 2013, Aubameyang was in the
starting line-up for Saint-Étienne in the 2013 Coupe de la Ligue Final. Les Verts won
🌟 the match 1–0 with a goal from Brandão to give Aubameyang his first major trophy as a
professional footballer. He🌟 finished the season with 18 goals and seven assists in all
competitions.[citation needed]
In the 2012–13 season, Aubameyang ended second in🌟 the
competition's top-goalscorers list, scoring 19 goals and finishing behind only Zlatan
Ibrahimović. From his 37 appearances, he also provided🌟 eight assists. The season was
widely regarded as his breakout year—he appeared in the Ligue 1 team of the season🌟 and
he won the Ligue 1 African Player of the Year award.[18]
Borussia Dortmund [ edit
]
Aubameyang with Borussia Dortmund in🌟 2013
On 4 July 2013, Aubameyang joined 2012–13
Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract.[19] He made his
competitive🌟 debut for his new club on 27 July 2013 against Bayern Munich in the
DFL-Supercup, replacing Jakub Błaszczykowski for the🌟 last 18 minutes of Dortmund's 4–2
victory, assisting Dortmund's final goal, scored by Marco Reus.[citation needed] On 10
August, Aubameyang🌟 made his Bundesliga debut and scored a hat-trick against FC
Augsburg, including a goal from his first shot in the🌟 league. In the process,
Aubameyang also became the first Gabonese player to appear in the Bundesliga.[20] On 27
November, he🌟 scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–1 win against Napoli in the
group stage of the 2013–14 competition.[21]🌟 He later took a penalty against 1860 Munich
that propelled Dortmund into the next round of the 2013–14 DFB-Pokal, finishing🌟 the
year with 13 league goals and 16 goals in all competitions.[citation needed]
Aubameyang
(left) playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2014
On🌟 13 August 2014, Aubameyang assisted
Borussia Dortmund's first goal and scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory over Bayern
🌟 Munich in the DFL-Supercup.[22] After scoring the goal, he celebrated by putting on a
Spider-Man mask.[22] In Dortmund's next match,🌟 a 4–1 win over Stuttgarter Kickers in
the first round of the DFB-Pokal, Aubameyang scored two-second-half goals and provided
the🌟 assist for Adrián Ramos' goal.[23] On 13 September, Aubameyang scored his first
Bundesliga goal of the season, netting Dortmund's final🌟 goal of their 3–1 win over SC
Freiburg.[24] Three days later, Aubameyang scored Dortmund's second goal in a 2–0 win
🌟 over future club Arsenal in the first group match of the Champions
League.[25]
Aubameyang ended his second season in Dortmund with🌟 25 goals from 46
appearances, including one in the 2024 DFB-Pokal Final, where Dortmund were defeated
3–1 by VfL Wolfsburg🌟 at the Olympiastadion.[26]
2024–16: League runner-up [ edit ]
On
31 July 2024, Aubameyang signed a new contract to last until 2024,🌟 saying, "Every part
of me wants to be here and I have never wanted to leave."[27] On 20 August, he🌟 scored a
brace as Dortmund came from 0–3 down to win 3–4 at Odds BK in the first leg of🌟 their
Europa League play-off.[28] By scoring in Dortmund's 1–1 draw with 1899 Hoffenheim on
23 September, Aubameyang became the first🌟 player in Bundesliga history to score in each
of his team's opening six matches of a season.[29] He later extended🌟 this record to
eight matches, scoring in the team's next two fixtures against Darmstadt 98 and Bayern
Munich, before failing🌟 to score for the first time in the Bundesliga season in a 2–0
win at Mainz 05.[30]
On 22 October, Aubameyang🌟 scored a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa
League match against Gabala of Azerbaijan.[31] Three days later, he scored another
hat-trick🌟 in a 5–1 defeat of Augsburg at the Westfalenstadion.[32] On 8 November,
Aubameyang scored the winning goal for Dortmund in🌟 a 3–2 Revierderby victory over
rivals FC Schalke 04.[33] At the halfway stage of the Bundesliga season, Aubameyang was
the🌟 league's top scorer with 18 goals from 17 appearances.[34]
On 30 January 2024,
Aubameyang scored his 19th and 20th league goals🌟 of the season to give Dortmund a 2–0
home victory over FC Ingolstadt.[35] Aubameyang reached 30 goals in all competitions🌟 in
a 3–1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in the quarter-final of the 2024–16 DFB-Pokal. In
addition to scoring himself, he🌟 assisted the side's other two goals scored by Marco
Reus and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.[36] On 10 March 2024, Aubameyang scored for🌟 Borussia in
their 3–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 first-leg. A
week later,🌟 he scored both goals in the 2–1 second-leg victory at White Hart Lane,
taking him to 35 goals for the🌟 season.[37] In scoring two goals in a 5–1 win against
VfL Wolfsburg on 30 April, Aubameyang reached 25 goals in🌟 the Bundesliga season, thus
ending as the league's second-top scorer behind Robert Lewandowski of Bayern
Munich.[38]
2024–17: Bundesliga top goalscorer and🌟 DFB-Pokal [ edit ]
Aubameyang
training with Borussia Dortmund in 2024
Aubameyang began his 2024–17 season in the
Bundesliga with a double🌟 against Mainz 05 on 27 August in a 2–1 victory, while also
scoring twice against VfL Wolfsburg on 20 September.🌟 Aubameyang scored three days later
against recently promoted SC Freiburg, bringing his season total to 5, into a tie atop
🌟 the scoring charts with Lewandowski early in the season. Following an injury to Marcel
Schmelzer, Aubameyang wore the captain's armband🌟 for Dortmund for the first time on 22
October, also scoring a goal in the 3–3 draw at FC Ingolstadt.[39]
Aubameyang🌟 also got
off to an excellent start in Dortmund's Champions League group stage matches, scoring
in each of their first🌟 leg matches as Dortmund were joint top of their group with Real
Madrid. However, Aubameyang was left out of the🌟 squad by Thomas Tuchel for their return
leg against Sporting CP on 2 November due to an "internal issue".[40] It🌟 turned out
that he received a one-game suspension for breaking club rules, by traveling to Milan
instead of staying in🌟 Dortmund.[41] Expected to return that weekend at Hamburger SV,
Aubameyang exploded with a four-goal performance in a 5–2 victory, their🌟 first in five
tries in the Bundesliga, while also assisting Ousmane Dembélé for Dortmund's final
goal.[42]
On 19 November, Aubameyang scored🌟 the only goal of a 1–0 win over Bayern
Munich at the Westfalenstadion. This was Dortmund's first Klassiker victory in🌟 the
league since April 2014.[43] On 7 December, Aubameyang scored Borussia's first goal in
a 2–2 comeback draw with Real🌟 Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to secure
qualification to the next stage as group winners.[44] On 16 December, Aubameyang🌟 scored
his 100th goal for Borussia Dortmund in a 2–2 draw away to 1899 Hoffenheim.[45]
On 4
March 2024, Aubameyang passed🌟 20 Bundesliga goals for the second consecutive season
with two goals in a 6–2 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen.[46] Four days🌟 later, he scored a
hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Benfica to put Dortmund into the quarter-finals of the
Champions🌟 League.[47] On 20 May, Aubameyang scored twice in Borussia's final day defeat
of Werder Bremen to end the season as🌟 the Bundesliga's top scorer with 31 goals.[48] In
the final of the 2024–17 DFB-Pokal on 27 May 2024 he scored🌟 the winning goal, a
penalty, as Dortmund beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2–1.[49]
Arsenal [ edit ]
On 31 January
2024, Aubameyang signed for🌟 Premier League club, Arsenal, for a then-club-record
fee,[50] reported to be £56 million.[8]
2024–2024: Debut season, Premier League Golden
Boot [🌟 edit ]
Aubameyang (left) celebrating a goal in Arsène Wenger's last home game as
Arsenal manager, 2024
On 3 February, Aubameyang made🌟 his debut for Arsenal against
Everton in the Premier League in a 5–1 home victory, scoring the team's fourth goal,
🌟 chipping the ball over a grounded Jordan Pickford.[51] After missing the Europa League
matches against Östersunds FK for the Gunners🌟 due to being cup-tied, Aubameyang
registered his first away goal for the club in the team's 2–1 away defeat to🌟 Brighton &
Hove Albion.[52] Aubameyang registered his first assist for the team, setting up
Henrikh Mkhitaryan's goal in a 3–0🌟 win over Watford, Aubameyang also scored the
Gunners' second goal (which was assisted by Mkhitaryan), rounding the
goalkeeper.[53]
Aubameyang kept up🌟 his fine goalscoring form by scoring twice in
Arsenal's 3–0 home win against Stoke City. Aubameyang's goals against Stoke (one🌟 of
which was also his first converted penalty for the club) made him the first player to
score five times🌟 in his first six games for the club.[54][55][non-primary source
needed] He netted his second brace for Arsenal, in manager Arsène🌟 Wenger's final home
game for the club, opening and closing the scoring, whilst also assisting Alex Iwobi's
goal, in an🌟 eventual 5–0 win over Burnley.[56] Aubameyang followed this up by scoring
the only goal in Arsenal's 1–0 away win against🌟 Huddersfield Town. Aubameyang ended the
season with ten goals and four assists in thirteen Premier League games and was the
🌟 last goalscorer for Arsenal under Arsène Wenger.[57]
Aubameyang scored his first goal
of the following season in a 3–2 away win🌟 over Cardiff City on 2 September 2024. After
a flick from Alexandre Lacazette, Aubameyang took a touch before curling the🌟 ball past
the Cardiff goalkeeper. Aubameyang's strike from outside the box ended his personal run
of 76 consecutive goals from🌟 inside the box in club football and was also his 150th
goal in league football.[58] Aubameyang made his European debut🌟 for Arsenal, in the 4–2
home win over Vorskla Poltava, scoring two goals, before being substituted for Mesut
Özil in🌟 the 57th minute. Aubameyang's goals meant that he had been directly involved in
12 goals in 10 appearances for Arsenal🌟 at the Emirates Stadium.[59] By October 2024,
Aubameyang had tallied 16 goals in Premier League play since joining Arsenal in
🌟 February. According to Opta statistics, that gave him a minutes per goal ratio of
104.6, which set the record for🌟 the best minutes per goal ratio in Premier League
history (minimum 10 goals).[60]
Aubameyang became the first player to reach 10🌟 goals in
the Premier League that season, following a brace in Arsenal's 4–2 victory over
Tottenham Hotspur in the North🌟 London derby on 2 December. Aubameyang scored the
Gunners' opening goal from the penalty spot and later curled a shot🌟 past Hugo Lloris in
the second-half; he also grabbed an assist for Arsenal's fourth goal, which was Lucas
Torreira's first🌟 goal for the club. The victory took Arsenal above Tottenham in the
Premier League on goal difference.[61]
Aubameyang scored his first🌟 Arsenal hat-trick in
the club's 4–2 win over Valencia on 9 May 2024. Aubameyang also set up the Gunners'
second🌟 goal, scored by Alexandre Lacazette. Aubameyang's hat-trick meant that Arsenal
reached the Europa League final, making it the club's second🌟 European final in thirteen
years.[62] It also saw him become the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the
🌟 semi-finals of a European competition.[63]
Aubameyang finished the season with two
goals in a 3–1 away win at Burnley, meaning he🌟 ended the season sharing the Premier
League Golden Boot title with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, on 22
goals.[64]🌟 He played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal's 4–1 defeat to Chelsea in the
Europa League, failing to make a🌟 significant impact as the result meant Arsenal missed
out on Champions League qualification.[65]
2024–2024: FA Cup win and departure [ edit
🌟 ]
Aubameyang in a promotional image for Arsenal in 2024
On 11 August 2024, Aubameyang
scored his and Arsenal's first goal of🌟 the season in their 1–0 opening match victory
over Newcastle United at St James' Park, in which he demonstrated perfect🌟 technique to
cushion a cross from Ainsley Maitland-Niles, to slot the ball past Martin Dúbravka,
with José Mourinho hailing the🌟 strike as "a moment of genius".[66][67] Aubameyang
scored his first home goal of the campaign in Arsenal's next game, a🌟 2–1 win over
Burnley on 17 August. Aubameyang scored what turned out to be the winning goal,
following an assist🌟 from Dani Ceballos.[68] Aubameyang scored his first European goal
of the season on 19 September against Eintracht Frankfurt in the🌟 Europa League, as
Arsenal won 3–0 away from home on matchday 1.[69]
Aubameyang's five goals in September,
including equalizers against Tottenham🌟 and Manchester United and the winner against
Aston Villa, saw him named the Premier League Player of the Month, beating🌟 the likes of
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tottenham's Son Heung-min and Manchester City duo
Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez to🌟 the award.[70] On 5 November 2024, after Granit
Xhaka was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy following his angry reaction to🌟 getting
booed by the Arsenal supporters during their Premier League game against Crystal
Palace,[71] head coach Unai Emery confirmed that🌟 Aubameyang would take over as the new
Arsenal captain.[72]
On 1 December, following the dismissal of Emery, Aubameyang scored
both goals🌟 in Arsenal's eventual 2–2 draw with Norwich City in interim head coach
Freddie Ljungberg's first game in charge. Aubameyang's first🌟 goal (a penalty) had to be
retaken, after VAR discovered there to be encroachment in the penalty area.
Aubameyang's first🌟 effort was kept out by goalkeeper Tim Krul, however, his second
effort (the same side as his previous attempt), was🌟 successfully
converted.[73]
Aubameyang scored in Arsenal's 1–1 draw with Crystal Palace on 11
January 2024, but was also sent off for🌟 a late challenge on Palace midfielder Max
Meyer. Aubameyang was originally given a yellow card for the tackle by referee🌟 Paul
Tierney, however the card was eventually upgraded to a red card, by the VAR, resulting
in Aubameyang's first-ever red🌟 card for the Gunners and would mean that the striker
would miss Arsenal's next three matches against Sheffield United, Chelsea,🌟 and
Arsenal's FA Cup tie against Bournemouth.[74]
On 27 February, in Arsenal's Europa
League second leg round of 32 match against🌟 Olympiacos and with the aggregate score
tied at 1–1, Aubameyang's scissor kick goal in extra time allowed his side to🌟 equalize
the match and lead the tie on aggregate. However, following a 119th-minute goal by
Olympiacos that meant Arsenal would🌟 be heading out of the competition, Aubameyang
missed an open shot from five yards out in the last seconds of🌟 the match that would
have seen his side through.[75] Following Arsenal's elimination, Aubameyang apologized
for and lamented his miss, stating,🌟 "I feel very, very bad. It can happen but I do not
know how I missed this chance. I was🌟 tired, I had some cramps but it is not an
excuse."[76]
Following the resumption of the league in the wake of🌟 the COVID-19
pandemic, Aubameyang did not score or assist in the first three Premier League games
after the restart for🌟 Arsenal, but eventually netted a brace on 1 July against Norwich
City in a 4–0 rout. Aubameyang's first goal was🌟 his 50th in the league for Arsenal,
making him the quickest player to reach 50 goals for the club in🌟 the Premier League
era, having achieved the feat in just 79 league appearances, four games quicker than
all-time club goalscorer🌟 Thierry Henry, and also became the sixth fastest to 50 in the
Premier League, behind Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Ruud🌟 van Nistelrooy, Fernando Torres
and Mohamed Salah.[77] Aubameyang also assisted the Gunners' second goal, which was
scored by Granit Xhaka.[78]🌟 He ended the season with 22 league goals, one behind Jamie
Vardy, the winner of the Golden Boot, and tied🌟 with Danny Ings for second place.[79]
On
18 July, in their FA Cup semi-final against defending champions Manchester City,
Aubameyang scored🌟 both goals in a 2–0 win for Arsenal, sending them to the final.[80]
On 1 August, he converted a penalty🌟 and scored the winner in the final, as Arsenal
defeated Chelsea 2–1 and Aubameyang lifted his first trophy with the🌟 club, becoming the
first African to win the FA Cup as a captain.[81][82]
On 29 August 2024, Aubameyang
scored a goal🌟 in normal time and the fifth and winning penalty in a shoot-out win
against Liverpool in the Community Shield, after🌟 the game ended 1–1.[83] On 12
September, he scored in the first league game of the new season the final🌟 goal of a 3–0
win away to Fulham.[84] On 15 September, Aubameyang signed a new three-year contract
with Arsenal.[85] On🌟 1 November, he scored a penalty in a 1–0 away win against
Manchester United, to grant Arsenal their first Premier🌟 League win at Old Trafford
since 2006.[86]
Aubameyang scored two goals for Arsenal in their 3–0 victory over
Newcastle United on🌟 18 January 2024.[87] However, he did not play in the club's next
three matches, in order to tend to his🌟 ill mother.[88] On 14 February, Aubameyang
scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–2 win over Leeds United. This🌟 took him
to 200 career goals across Europe's top five leagues.[89] On 25 February, he scored two
goals against Benfica🌟 in a 3–2 win to secure a place in the Europa League round of
16.[90] On 14 March, Aubameyang was🌟 left out of the starting line up in the North
London Derby against Tottenham, the manager citing disciplinary reasons.
On matchday🌟 16
of the 2024–22 season, Aubameyang was omitted from the squad for Arsenal's match
against Southampton, with manager Mikel Arteta🌟 yet again citing disciplinary
reasons.[91] Three days later, Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy.[92] On 1
February 2024, Arsenal announced🌟 Aubameyang's departure from the club by mutual
consent.[93]
Barcelona [ edit ]
On 2 February 2024, Barcelona reached an agreement for
Aubameyang🌟 to join the club. Aubameyang signed a contract until 30 June 2025 with an
option to agree departure on 30🌟 June 2024.[94] Aubameyang made his debut for Barcelona
on 6 February 2024, coming on as a substitute in a 4–2🌟 win over Atlético Madrid.[95] On
20 February, he scored his first competitive goals in his fourth match for Barcelona,
scoring🌟 a hat-trick in a 4–1 away win at Mestalla Stadium over Valencia in a man of the
match performance.[96][97] On🌟 20 March, Aubameyang scored a brace and assisted Ferran
Torres in his only El Clásico helping Barcelona to a 4–0🌟 away victory against the
league leaders.[98]
On 14 May 2024, Barcelona beat Espanyol in a 4–2 win to secure the
2024–23🌟 La Liga title, meaning Aubameyang claimed the first league title in his career,
despite playing just nine minutes for Barca🌟 before joining Chelsea in the summer of
2024.[99]
Chelsea [ edit ]
On 2 September 2024, Chelsea announced the signing of
Aubameyang🌟 to join the club on a two-year contract.[100] Barcelona confirmed the fee
was €12 million (£10.3 million).[101] Aubameyang made his🌟 Chelsea debut on 6 September,
after being named a starter in a 1–0 Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.[102] On
🌟 1 October, he made his league debut for the club and scored his first goal in a 2–1
away win🌟 against Crystal Palace.[103]
In the Champions League group stage, he scored
two goals in two matches against his former club AC🌟 Milan.[104] However, he was later
excluded from the 25-man Champions League squad for the knockout stages by coach Graham
Potter.[105]
Marseille🌟 [ edit ]
On 21 July 2024, Aubameyang left Chelsea and signed a
three-year deal with Olympique de Marseille.[106][107] On 12🌟 August, he made his debut
coming on as a substitute on the 67th minute in a 2–1 win against Stade🌟 de Reims.[108]
Three days later, he scored a brace against Panathinaikos in the Champions League third
qualifying round which gave🌟 his team a 2–0 lead; however, Marseille conceded a penalty
in the stoppage time which equaled the tie 2–2, before🌟 losing 3–5 on penalties to be
eliminated from the competition.[109]
International career [ edit ]
Aubameyang was
invited to play for Italy🌟 U19s after a good season with Dijon, but he debuted for the
France under-21 team in February 2009 in a🌟 friendly match against Tunisia
U21.[110]
Aubameyang was also eligible to play for Spain because he has Spanish
nationality. He decided to🌟 represent Gabon because his father once captained the team,
but he maintains close relationship with Spain and expressed a desire🌟 to play in La
Liga prior to signing for FC Barcelona.[111][112]
On 25 March 2009, Aubameyang was
selected for the Gabon🌟 national team[113] and made his debut for the squad. He scored
his first goal in a 2–1 victory over Morocco,🌟 then scored a goal each in friendly
matches against Benin, Togo, Algeria and Senegal.[114]
Aubameyang was a key member of
the🌟 Gabon national side that reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of
Nations as co-hosts of the competition. He🌟 netted three goals in total, finishing the
tournament as one of the top scorers. On 5 February 2012, he set🌟 up the opening goal
for his team and hit the post in the quarter-final against Mali. However, the match
ended🌟 1–1 after extra time and Aubameyang had his penalty saved in the shootout to
decide the game.[115]
In July 2012, Aubameyang🌟 represented Gabon at the 2012 Summer
Olympics in London. He scored in the team's opening game against Switzerland, which was
🌟 Gabon's first-ever Olympic goal, and would also prove to be Gabon's only goal of the
tournament. They were eliminated in🌟 the group stage.[116]
On 15 June 2013, Aubameyang
scored a hat-trick of penalty kicks in Gabon's 4–1 2014 FIFA World Cup🌟 qualifying win
over Niger. He then scored a brace against Burkina Faso in the 2024 Africa Cup of
Nations Qualification.[citation🌟 needed]
Aubameyang captained Gabon at the 2024 Africa
Cup of Nations, scoring the team's opening goal of the tournament in their🌟 2–0 win over
Burkina Faso on 17 January 2024.[117] He also scored a brace against Mali on 25 March
2024.🌟 He is Gabon's highest goalscorer. He rejected a callup for a pivotal World Cup
qualifier at home to the Ivory🌟 Coast, which they lost 3–0.[118]
On 25 March 2024,
Aubameyang captained Gabon to a 3–0 win at home to DR Congo,🌟 scoring the third goal to
ensure qualification to the African Cup of Nations to be staged in Cameroon.[119] In
that🌟 time, he contracted malaria, in which he got a fever and had to be
hospitalized.[120]
On 6 January 2024, Aubameyang tested🌟 positive for COVID-19 before
Gabon's first game in the African Cup of Nations.[121] Aubameyang withdrew from the
tournament a few🌟 days later to undergo further medical examinations in England after
being diagnosed with heart lesions.[122]
On 18 May 2024, Aubameyang announced🌟 his
retirement from international football.[123] He made a total of 72 appearances for the
Gabon national team and scored 30🌟 goals.[124] However, a year later, he announced he
had changed his mind and would return to the national side. He🌟 said his decision had
been prompted by a meeting with President Ali Bongo Ondimba.[125]
Media [ edit
]
Aubameyang was involved in🌟 the Amazon Original sports docuseries All or Nothing:
Arsenal, which documented the club by spending time with the coaching staff🌟 and players
behind the scenes both on and off the field throughout their 2024–22
season.[126][127]
Produced by Fulwell 73, FIFA released🌟 Captains in 2024, an eight-part
sports docuseries following six national team captains in their respective 2024 FIFA
World Cup qualification🌟 campaigns.[128] Aubameyang, representing Gabon, starred
alongside Thiago Silva (Brazil), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Andre Blake (Jamaica), Hassan
Maatouk (Lebanon) and Brian🌟 Kaltak (Vanuatu).[128] It was released by Netflix and also
shown on FIFA's own streaming platform, FIFA+.[129]
Personal life [ edit ]
Aubameyang
🌟 was born in Laval, France.[130] He is the son of former Gabonese international
footballer Pierre Aubameyang and younger half-brother of🌟 Catilina and Willy, who have
both played for Milan's youth teams.[131] His mother is Spanish.[132] He is married to
Alysha🌟 Behague, the couple have two sons, Curtys and Pierre.[133][134] In August 2024,
Aubameyang suffered a broken jaw during a violent🌟 robbery of his home in
Barcelona.[135]
He is multilingual and speaks French, English, Spanish, Italian, and
German.[136]
Career statistics [ edit ]
Club🌟 [ edit ]
As of match played 20 December
2024[137]
International [ edit ]
As of matches played on 9 September
2024[138][139]
Appearances and🌟 goals by national team and year National team Year Apps
Goals Gabon 2009 7 2 2010 10 3 2011 5🌟 0 2012 8 4 2013 4 3 2014 4 2 2024 10 5 2024 4 2
2024 4 2 2024🌟 2 1 2024 5 1 2024 2 1 2024 6 3 2024 1 1 2024 2 0 Total 74 30
Honours🌟 [
edit ]
Aubameyang in 2011
Saint-Étienne
Borussia
Dortmund
Arsenal
Barcelona
Gabon
Individual
Orders
Commander of the National Order of
Merit of Gabon: 2024[173]
See also [ edit ]
