Children in Gabon start playing football very young, sometimes with makeshift balls made from cloth or plastic bags when a proper ball is not available. The sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast double as natural football pitches, and beach football tournaments bring whole neighbourhoods together on weekends.
Gabon has produced several internationally recognised footballers who have played in France, England and other European countries. Seeing a player from your own village or city succeeding on the world stage is a source of enormous pride. Young Gabonese players dream of representing The Panthers one day.
Gabon hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 and 2017, building new stadiums in Libreville and other cities. Hosting the tournament meant tens of thousands of football fans from across Africa came to Gabon, sharing food, music and the joy of the game. The whole country celebrated like a huge party.
On match days, the streets around the stadium fill with supporters wearing the yellow and blue of Gabon's national colours, singing, blowing vuvuzelas and waving flags. In homes across the country, families gather around televisions with plates of food, cheering every tackle and every goal together.