The Most Famous
SOCCER PLAYERS from Gabon
This page contains a list of the greatest Gabonese Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 17 of which were born in Gabon. This makes Gabon the birth place of the 93rd most number of Soccer Players behind Thailand, and Guinea-Bissau.
Top 10
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Gabonese Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Gabonese Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Gabonese Soccer Players.
1. Mario Lemina (b. 1993)
With an HPI of 51.90, Mario Lemina is the most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 41 different languages on wikipedia.
Mario René Junior Lemina (French pronunciation: [maʁjo ləmina]; born 1 September 1993) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Süper Lig club Galatasaray and the Gabon national team. He played for French sides Lorient and Marseille, before joining Italian side Juventus in 2015, where he won the domestic double in both of his seasons with the club, as well as appearing in the 2017 UEFA Champions League final. He joined English side Southampton in 2017, and was later loaned out to Turkish club Galatasaray in 2019. After a loan to Fulham in England, he joined French club Nice in 2021. In January 2023, he returned to England after signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers. A former French international at youth level, Lemina went on to represent Gabon at senior level, making his senior international debut in 2017. He later represented Gabon at the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
2. Aaron Boupendza (1996 - 2025)
With an HPI of 51.07, Aaron Boupendza is the 2nd most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Aaron Salem Boupendza Pozzi (7 August 1996 – 16 April 2025) was a Gabonese professional footballer who played as a forward. Trained at CF Mounana, where he won the Gabon Championnat National D1 in 2015–16, he signed for Bordeaux in 2016. He played only for the reserve team and out on loan, finishing as top scorer of the Championnat National for Pau in 2017–18. In 2020 he signed for Hatayspor, and was top scorer in the Süper Lig in 2020–21. He then had one season each with Al Arabi of the Qatar Stars League and Al Shabab of the Saudi Pro League, winning a Qatar FA Cup with the former in 2022. He won the Supporters' Shield with FC Cincinnati in 2023, and had brief spells in Romania with Rapid București in Romania and Zhejiang FC in China before his death at age 28. A full international for the Gabon national team since 2016, Boupendza represented the country at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
3. Didier Ovono (b. 1983)
With an HPI of 45.34, Didier Ovono is the 3rd most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Didier Janvier Ovono Ebang (born 23 January 1983) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Championnat National 2 club Saumur.
4. Daniel Cousin (b. 1977)
With an HPI of 44.29, Daniel Cousin is the 4th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Daniel Michel Cousin (born 7 February 1977) is a Gabonese former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for Martigues, Chamois Niortais, Le Mans Union Club 72, RC Lens, Rangers, Hull City, Larissa and Sapins, as well as the Gabon national team. In March 2019, Cousin formally signed a contract to serve as a coach of Gabon national team despite being confirmed in September 2018, but left a few weeks later before being appointed manager of French club ES Fos-sur-Mer.
5. Guélor Kanga (b. 1990)
With an HPI of 43.50, Guélor Kanga is the 5th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Guélor Kanga Kaku (born 1 September 1990) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Esenler Erokspor and the Gabon national team.
6. Frédéric Bulot (b. 1990)
With an HPI of 42.36, Frédéric Bulot is the 6th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.
Frédéric Bulot Wagha (born 27 September 1990), better known as Frédéric Bulot, is a Gabonese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was a French youth international, having earned caps with all levels, beginning with the under-16 team.
7. Bruno Ecuele Manga (b. 1988)
With an HPI of 41.31, Bruno Ecuele Manga is the 7th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.
Bruno Ecuele Manga (born 16 July 1988) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for French Championnat National club Paris 13 Atletico and the Gabon national team. He is known for being a tough tackler. After beginning his career with FC 105 Libreville in his home country, he joined French side Bordeaux in 2006. He played for the club's reserve side and spent time on loan with lower division side Rodez, but made only one appearance for the senior side, before being released in 2008. He subsequently joined Ligue 2 side Angers, making more than 50 appearances in two seasons before joining Lorient in 2010 for a fee of €2.5 million. He made his Ligue 1 debut with Lorient and went on to make more than 100 appearances in the top tier of French football. He was appointed club captain ahead of the 2012–13 season and remained in the role until 2014, when he signed for Championship side Cardiff City for €5 million. He spent four seasons in the division before helping the club win promotion to the Premier League after finishing as Championship runners-up in the 2017–18 season. Manga made his international debut for Gabon in 2006 and has accumulated over 100 caps to date, representing the side at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
8. André Biyogo Poko (b. 1993)
With an HPI of 41.30, André Biyogo Poko is the 8th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
André Ivan Biyogo Poko (born 7 March 1993) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for TFF First League club Amedspor and for the Gabon national team. He was part of the Gabon national team in the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon.
9. Bruno Zita Mbanangoyé (b. 1980)
With an HPI of 41.03, Bruno Zita Mbanangoyé is the 9th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Bruno Mbanangoyé Zita (born 15 July 1980) is a Gabonese former football who played as a midfielder. He was a member of the Gabon national team.
10. Malick Evouna (b. 1992)
With an HPI of 38.96, Malick Evouna is the 10th most famous Gabonese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.
Malick Evouna (born 28 November 1992) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a striker.
People
Pantheon has 18 people classified as Gabonese soccer players born between 1977 and 1996. Of these 18, 17 (94.44%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Gabonese soccer players include Mario Lemina, Didier Ovono, and Daniel Cousin. The most famous deceased Gabonese soccer players include Aaron Boupendza. As of April 2024, 1 new Gabonese soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Axel Méyé.
Living Gabonese Soccer Players
Go to all Rankings
Mario Lemina
1993 - Present
HPI: 51.90
Didier Ovono
1983 - Present
HPI: 45.34
Daniel Cousin
1977 - Present
HPI: 44.29
Guélor Kanga
1990 - Present
HPI: 43.50
Frédéric Bulot
1990 - Present
HPI: 42.36
Bruno Ecuele Manga
1988 - Present
HPI: 41.31
André Biyogo Poko
1993 - Present
HPI: 41.30
Bruno Zita Mbanangoyé
1980 - Present
HPI: 41.03
Malick Evouna
1992 - Present
HPI: 38.96
Aaron Appindangoyé
1992 - Present
HPI: 38.15
Lévy Madinda
1992 - Present
HPI: 37.25
Yrondu Musavu-King
1992 - Present
HPI: 37.24
