Gabon captain Bruno Ecuele Manga (37, over 116 caps) has indeed earned the nickname “Paul Biya” from fans and media for his incredible longevity with the national team since his debut in October 2006.
Just like Cameroon’s President Paul Biya (in power since 1982, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders), Ecuele Manga is seen as an unbreakable fixture, outlasting generations of teammates.
He fully embraces it with humor! In a recent interview (France 24, during the AFCON Diaspora Tour), when asked about the nickname, he laughed and said:
“Paul Biya, it’s because I’m the oldest in the team… And they know that with Paul Biya, you can’t just do whatever you want!”