It was painful watching the 2023 AFCON from home after Gabon failed to qualify – Denis Bouanga

Gabon star, Denis Bouanga has revealed that he was distraught after his country missed out on qualification to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

According to him, it was very painful watching the tournament in Ivory Coast from home.

“It’s always painful to miss a competition like AFCON, especially with your country and its supporters. It affected many people, myself included, because I love playing in these tournaments.

“Watching the atmosphere in Côte d’Ivoire on TV, it was really regrettable that Gabon wasn’t there,” Bouanga told CAFOnline.

Having helped Gabon to secure qualification to the 2025 AFCON, Denis Bounga is delighted and hopes to perform well with his country in Morocco later this year.

“But in the end, we can see it as a blessing in disguise, as we managed to qualify for the next edition,” Bouanga added.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament will be staged in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, 2026.