Alex Song facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alex Song

Song playing for Rubin Kazan in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong
Date of birth	(1987-09-09) 9 September 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Douala, Cameroon
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder, defender
Youth career
2000–2001	Red Star
2001–2004	Bastia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2006	Bastia	32	(0)
2005–2006	→ Arsenal (loan)	5	(0)
2006–2012	Arsenal	133	(7)
2007	→ Charlton Athletic (loan)	12	(0)
2012–2016	Barcelona	39	(1)
2014–2016	→ West Ham United (loan)	40	(0)
2016–2018	Rubin Kazan	22	(1)
2018–2020	Sion	20	(0)
2018–2019	Sion II	6	(0)
2020–2023	Arta/Solar7	23	(3)
Total		331	(12)
International career
2002–2003	France U16	6	(0)
2003–2004	Cameroon U17	3	(0)
2008	Cameroon U23	3	(0)
2005–2014	Cameroon	49	(0)
Medal record Men's Football Representing  Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations Runner-up 2008 Ghana Team African U-17 Championship Winner 2003 Swaziland Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong (born 9 September 1987), known as Alex Song, is a former professional footballer from Cameroon. He played as a central or defensive midfielder, and sometimes as a central defender.

Song started as a player who could fill in different positions for Arsenal. He quickly became a very important part of their main team. Later, in 2012, he moved to Barcelona.

He also played for the Cameroon national team in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He was chosen for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian player in the Team of the Tournament. Alex Song also has French nationality. His uncle, Rigobert Song, was also a famous footballer.

Alex Song's Early Life

Song was born in Douala, Cameroon. He lost his father when he was only three years old. His uncle, Rigobert Song, became like a second father to him. Rigobert greatly influenced Alex's choice to become a footballer.

When he was 16, Alex moved to France. He joined the club Bastia because he couldn't find a good club or academy in Cameroon. One of the players who inspired Song a lot when he was young was Michael Essien.

In 2011, Song became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer. This is a non-profit group that uses football to help stop the spread of HIV.

Alex Song's Club Career

Starting at Bastia

Song joined the Bastia youth team in the 2003–04 season. The next season, he became part of the main team. He played 31 games for Bastia, who were in Ligue 1 at the time. Song was known for being able to play in many different positions.

While at Bastia, he was picked for the France under-16 national team. However, he later chose to play for Cameroon, his home country. He played as a central defender but also as a defensive midfielder. Many coaches and fans at Bastia thought he was very good in this position.

Many big clubs, like Internazionale, Juventus, and Manchester United, were interested in him. Bastia did not want to sell him. So, they agreed to loan him to Arsenal for one season in 2005. Even though he was linked with Lyon, Arsenal bought him for about £1 million. Song played 32 league games for Bastia.

Time at Arsenal

Song impressed Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, during a trial in Austria. Arsenal signed him on loan for the 2005–06 season on 11 August 2005. In June 2006, Arsenal paid £1 million to sign him permanently. He then signed a four-year contract. Song played his first Premier League game for Arsenal on 19 September 2005. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Everton. He also played in some UEFA Champions League matches. Towards the end of the season, he started more Premier League games when other players were injured or resting.

Song scored his first goal for Arsenal against Liverpool. This happened in Arsenal's big 6–3 win in the League Cup quarterfinals on 9 January 2007.

On 30 January 2007, Song joined Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season. He played well, but Charlton was relegated. Song then went back to Arsenal.

During the 2007–08 season, Song played as a central defender in Arsenal's League Cup games. He missed the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur because he was playing for Cameroon. He also started as a central defender in some Premier League games later that season.

Song playing for Arsenal

Breakthrough Season: 2008–09

The 2008–09 season was a big year for Song at Arsenal. He became a key player for Arsène Wenger's team. He played 48 games in all competitions. He had his best season yet, becoming a strong and powerful player in Arsenal's midfield. He worked perfectly with Cesc Fàbregas in the center of the field. Wenger said about him, "I brought him here at 17 and worked very hard with him. I knew he had the talent to become a good player."

On 21 October 2008, Song scored his first goal in European competition for Arsenal. It was against Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions League. Song's first league goal was against Wigan Athletic on 11 April 2009. He dribbled past several players and scored. Arsenal won that game 4–1.

Continuing Success: 2009–10

Song started the season well, playing in almost all of Arsenal's first 12 league games. He was voted third in the Arsenal.com player of the month award for October. He played consistently well in midfield, which helped Arsenal's attacking players. Song became one of the first players chosen for the team. On 25 November 2009, Song signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal until 2014. On 30 December 2009, he scored his second league goal for Arsenal. It was in a 4–1 win over Portsmouth.

Strong Performances: 2010–11

Song in action in 2012

Song continued to be a regular starter. He had a great start to the 2010–11 season, playing strongly in front of the defense. He scored Arsenal's 1,000th Premier League goal under Arsène Wenger. This was in a 4–1 win against Bolton Wanderers on 11 September 2010. In the next game, he was sent off for two yellow cards. Song became a more attacking player in Arsenal's midfield, helping the forwards. On 28 August 2010, Song played the whole game against Blackburn Rovers in a 2–1 win. On 19 October 2010, he scored the first goal for Arsenal against Shakhtar Donetsk in a 5–1 win.

On 24 October 2010, Song scored his third goal of the season against Manchester City in a 3–0 Arsenal victory. On 30 October 2010, he scored an important header in the 88th minute against West Ham United. This led to a 1–0 victory for Arsenal. On 27 December 2010, Song scored the first goal in a 3–1 win over Chelsea. During the 2010–11 season, he played 42 games, scored five goals, and made three assists.

Key Player: 2011–12

After Cesc Fàbregas left for Barcelona, Song was given the role of providing assists for Arsenal. He also helped Aaron Ramsey. Song received a three-match ban after an incident during a league match against Newcastle United. On 24 September 2011, Song scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 home win against Bolton. He assisted Robin van Persie in a Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund. This helped Arsenal reach the last 16. Wenger said that Song had "surprised everybody" with his performances.

Song again assisted Van Persie in a match against Everton, which was the only goal in a 1–0 win for Arsenal. Song also showed his assisting skills in other matches. In an FA Cup game against Leeds United, Song passed the ball to Thierry Henry, who scored. The game ended 1–0. He then made two assists in back-to-back matches against Tottenham for Theo Walcott. He also set up the winning goal for Van Persie against Liverpool with a long pass. These matches ended in 5–2 and 2–1 wins, showing how important Song was to the team. He was not just a defensive player but also a creative midfielder. Song made an overhead pass to Theo Walcott for an assist against Aston Villa on 24 March 2012. Arsenal won that game 3–0. His teamwork with Van Persie was clear in a match on 5 May 2012. He made a chip pass to assist the Dutchman in scoring against Norwich City. The game ended 3–3, and it was his 12th assist of the season. Fans voted him as the second-best Arsenal player of the season.

Moving to Barcelona

Song at Barcelona

On 20 August 2012, Song signed a five-year contract with Barcelona. The transfer fee was £15 million. He played his first game for Barcelona against Real Madrid in the 2012 Supercopa de España on 29 August 2012. He came on as a substitute for the last 15 minutes and completed all his passes. In his first season, he played 20 matches in Barcelona's La Liga-winning campaign. He scored one goal in a 3–1 home win against Real Zaragoza on 17 November 2012.

Song was a substitute in the 2014 Copa del Rey Final. Barcelona lost that game 2–1 to Real Madrid.

Loan to West Ham United

Alex Song with West Ham in 2014

On 30 August 2014, Song joined West Ham United on a season-long loan. He was introduced to the fans before their home game against Southampton. Song played his first game for West Ham against Hull City on 15 September 2014. He came on as a substitute in a 2–2 draw. He played 31 games for West Ham, including three in the FA Cup. He played very well at the start of the season. In August 2015, West Ham announced an agreement to sign Song permanently. His season-long loan to West Ham was confirmed on 1 September.

Time at Rubin Kazan

On 21 July 2016, Rubin Kazan agreed to sign Song from Barcelona. On 1 August 2016, Song officially joined the Russian team on a free transfer. His contract with Barcelona had ended.

In January 2018, Song trained with his old club Arsenal. He was looking for a new club, but was still registered with Rubin Kazan. He later left Rubin Kazan in March 2018.

Playing for Sion

Song signed with the Swiss Super League club Sion on a free transfer on 14 August 2018. In March 2020, Song left Sion.

Joining Arta/Solar7

In November 2020, Song joined the Djiboutian club Arta/Solar7. On 14 November 2023, Song announced that he was retiring from professional football. He had played 332 club games and 49 international games.

Alex Song's International Career

Song playing against Morocco in 2009

Song first played for Cameroon in 2005. He was part of the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He played in their first group match against Egypt. He came on at half time, joining his uncle Rigobert on the field. During the tournament, he played very well in defense for Cameroon. He was named Man of the Match in Cameroon's semi-final. He was also chosen for the Tournament Best XI team.

Song was called up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. He was the only Cameroonian player named in the Team of the Tournament.

Song was in the Cameroon squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He did not play in their first game against Japan. However, he played the full 90 minutes in Cameroon's 2–1 loss to Denmark. This result meant Cameroon was the first country to be out of the World Cup. He was a substitute in Cameroon's last group game against the Netherlands. His uncle Rigobert played his last national team game in that match.

Song played in his second FIFA World Cup at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. In the team's second group match, Song was sent off. He later apologized for being sent off. FIFA gave Song a three-match ban from international games. In December 2014, he was not chosen for the Cameroon squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 6 January 2015, Song announced his retirement from international football. He was 27 years old and had played 49 games for his country. He said he wanted to focus on his club career.

Alex Song's Playing Style

Alex Song was a very flexible player. He could play as a central midfielder, a defensive midfielder, or even a central defender. He was known for his energy, strength, and ability to win the ball. He could also cover a lot of ground quickly. He was comfortable with the ball and a good passer.

In 2012, a former Barcelona sports director described Song as "a player who is good in the air, is physically powerful and tactically smart." Even though he played defensively, a former Cameroon coach said Song was "much better in attack than he is defensively." This means that besides his defensive skills, he could also move forward with the ball. He could start attacking plays after winning the ball back. This allowed him to quickly switch between defending and attacking.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Honours and Awards

Arsenal

• Football League Cup runner-up: 2010–11

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2012–13
• Supercopa de España: 2013; runner-up: 2012
• Copa del Rey runner-up: 2013–14

Arta/Solar7

• Djibouti Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22
• Djibouti Cup: 2020–21, 2021–22

Cameroon U17

• African U-17 Championship: 2003

Cameroon

• Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2008

Individual Awards

• African Player of the Year Third Place: 2012
• Africa Cup of Nations Best XI: 2008, 2010
• CAF Team of the Year: 2009, 2012

See also

In Spanish: Alex Song para niños