Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: One of the Greatest Strikers of his Generation
Aubame who? Aubame what? Aubame bloodclat yang! He yelled after the Gabonese struck again to help Arsenal beat Tottenham in a North London derby on December 2, 2018. That was a long time ago. Since, Auba has endured a complicated divorce with Arsenal, a return to London with Chelsea and “that video” where he said it was nothing but personal but he struggled to get touches against them. He has also enjoyed goal-laden stints with Marsielle and Barcelona, and is now enjoying the wealth at Al-Qadisiyah.
Auba isn’t the typical football story of grass to grace. He was born into grace, with the proverbial silver spoon. His father Pierre Francois Aubameyang was a defensive midfielder/center back for Gabon and several French Ligue 1 sides. His brother Willy plays football. He cut his teeth at Milan, where his father was a scout. The older Aubameyang scored 36 goals in 420 club appearances including 4 in 29 for Gabon. It is perhaps why the son is such a goal machine. A chip off the old block.
He is 35 now, and the former African player of the year, Tojarkapone winner, Premier League Golden Boot winner, Europa League golden boot winner, Bundesliga Player of the Year and Marc Vivien Foe prize winner hasn’t changed. He may not boast the quick burst of pace he terrorized defences with in his heyday, he still has the killer instinct, epitomized by his sensational Europa League campaign in 2023-24. So much so, he was crowned Europa League player of the season despite Marseille falling short in the semifinal.
Auba is lightning. What else would explain 30 goals and 11assists in 51 appearances at 34? It was his best output in a season since 2016/17 where he contributed 40 goals and 5 assists in 46 games for Dortmund. Him being the shining light in what was an erstwhile mixed campaign for Les Phoceens summarized him wholly.
He doesn’t have the trophy cabinet of his peers, who are considered fellow greats like a Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez or Sadio Mane. But on his day, he is just as good, if not possibly better. He is just like fine Bordeaux wine, getting better with age. It is why everyone gasped in surprise when he announced he was going to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2024.
He was going for the oil rich dollars of Al-Qadisiyah, freshly promoted from the Saudi second tier & having signed Nacho in defense and Ezequiel Fernandez in midfield, were looking for a prized jewel in attack. It so happens that Auba fit the bill. Marseille were distraught. Moves were made to pacify supporters and help ease transition, but this was a man who meant more to many than most.
The man with football’s biggest smile leaves nothing to chance, just like his game. At Al-Qadisiyah, he retains the explosive style that makes him Auba even thought the pace of the league is much slower. Now players like Julian Quinones, Abdulaziz al Othman and Iker Almena must pick his brains on how to time runs to perfection, spring offside traps and retain both style, grace and candor.
He already has 3 goals this season for Al-Qadisiyah, a third of their total, enough to propel them into the top 6. 2 of those goals are game winners, while the other was temporarily an equalizer in a 3-1 reversal at Al-Ittihad. He still lives off of running the channels, and generating high volume shots.
There is no room for fancy footwork and dainty skills. Auba is all about business in Saudi, both and off the pitch. For a man of his exquisite taste and standing, Aubame bloodclat yang still has memories to serve fans in the gulf, and just like Houdini, there is time for one final act.
By: Tosin Holmes / @Cosimo_diMedici
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Visionhaus / Getty Images