France or Gabon? Mario Lemina Still Undecided on International Future
The international future of Mario Lemina remains up in the air. The Olympique de Marseille midfielder, born in Gabon but raised in France, is still weighing his options between representing the Panthers of Gabon or continuing his path with Les Bleus.
Speaking in a press conference, Lemina admitted the Gabonese authorities had made contact:
“They’ve been trying to talk to me for a while, to get me to come. But, for the moment, I have no idea what I’m going to decide.”
Currently active with the France Under-21 team, Lemina emphasized his desire to continue progressing within the French setup:
“I’m still in the French Under-21s and I hope to be called up again for the next selections despite this elimination from Euro 2015.”
He added,
“I want to play for the French Under-21 team, and why not the senior team? I’m working towards that. I know it’s complicated to get into that team. There are some very good players.”
While Lemina hasn’t ruled out the possibility of representing Gabon, he is clearly still focused on a potential future with France. However, with the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations approaching and several senior OM players expected to leave, increased playing time could help the midfielder attract more attention — potentially influencing his final decision.
For now, both Gabon and France will have to wait as Lemina continues to develop and assess his international future.
