_(cropped)_-_Song.jpg) Song playing for Rubin Kazan in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 September 1987[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Douala, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | → West Ham United (loan) | 28 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | → West Ham United (loan) | 12 | (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
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong (born 9 September 1987), better known as Alex Song, is a Cameroonian former professional footballer who played as a central or defensive midfielder. He also played as a central defender.
Originally a utility player on the fringes of the first team, Song quickly became an integral part of Arsenal's starting 11 during the 2008–09 pre-season, eventually leading to a €15 million transfer to Barcelona in 2012.
Song played for the Cameroon national team in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.[3][4] He was called up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian named in the Team of the Tournament. Song also possesses French nationality.[5] He is the nephew of former footballer Rigobert Song[6] and the cousin of rugby league player Junior Nsemba[7]
- ^ a b "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Alex Song". Premier League. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ 2010 FIFA World Cup – Alexandre SONG Archived 11 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. FIFA.
- ^ "Alex Song Bio, Stats, News – Football / Soccer – – ESPNFC". Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ^ "campa2sAlexandre Song Billong) – Charlton Athletic and Cameroon". FootballDatabase. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "Cup of Nations final". BBC Sport. 10 February 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ^ Newsum, Matt (7 June 2024). "Rising star Nsemba ready for Wigan's Wembley date". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 June 2024.