Gabon’s dream of reaching their first-ever FIFA World Cup has received a youthful boost with the inclusion of 19-year-old Jonathan do Marcolino in the Panthers’ squad for the playoff stage.
The defender, who is on loan at French third-tier side FC Bourg-Péronnas from Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais, is set to make his international debut when Gabon face Nigeria on Thursday in Morocco.
The semifinal fixture is part of a four-team playoff that also features DR Congo and Cameroon, with the overall winner advancing to the intercontinental playoff next March in Mexico.
“I am not surprised (at being called) because I’m a competitor and I wanted to represent my country,” Do Marcolino said.
“So I’m happy to honor my first call-up to the Gabonese national team.”
“I have no emotional conflict. Certainly, I was born in France and in Lens, but my father and mother are both Gabonese. So I am first and foremost Gabonese by blood.”
He is the nephew of former Gabon striker Fabrice do Marcolino, who now leads the country’s recruitment drive for diaspora talent.
As Gabon chase a historic World Cup appearance, the young defender’s performance could make him a key figure in the nation’s footballing future.
