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Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Alex Song

Primarily known for his energy, physicality, ball-winning abilities, and ability to cover ground quickly, Alex Song is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays for Djiboutian side Arta/Solar7 as a central midfielder.

Born and brought up in Doula Cameroon, Alex song is a versatile player capable of playing as a central midfielder, a holding midfielder, or even as a center-back. In his professional football career spanning almost 20 years, Song has played for several Major European clubs including Barcelona and Arsenal.

Alex song is married to his childhood sweetheart friend Olivia and the couple has two sons. Let’s look at the 10 remarkable Facts about him.

1. He was influenced to play Football by his Uncle

Alex Song was born in Douala, Cameroon, and lost his father at the age of three. Since then, his uncle Rigobert Song has been like a second father and was a major influence in choosing football as a career.

Unable to find a club or academy where he could hone his skills in his home country, Alex Song was advised by his uncle to move to France where he joined Bastia at age 16.

Robert song himself is a former professional football player who played for Liverpool, West ham, and Mets among others. He is currently the manager of the Cameroonian football national team

2. He played in two FIFA World Cups

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Alex Song was first capped by Cameroon in 2005. He was included in the Cameroon squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa where he played alongside Cameroon’s all-time greats like his uncle Rigobert Song, Samuel Etoo, and Geremi Njitap among others.

Song was again included in the Cameroon squad for the 2014 FIFA world cup tournament in Brazil. However, the tournament did not go well for him as he was sent off for violent conduct after he struck Croatian center forward Mario Mandzukik during his country’s second match of the tournament.

He later apologized to Mandžukić, and to the people of Cameroon for being sent off and was punished with a three-match ban from competitive internationals, as well as a fine of US$22,300.

3. He made his name at Arsenal

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Alex Song made his name in the world of football during his six years stay at Arsenal football club. He signed for the premier league side in 2006 on a four-year contract after he had impressed Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger as a trialist during Arsenal’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

Song made his breakthrough in Arsenal’s starting line-up in the 2007 – 2008 league seasons, during which he partnered with Cesc Fabregas to make one of the best midfield partnerships in premier league history.

He quickly established himself as a key member of Arsène Wenger’s squad and went on to make 204 appearances and score 10 goals for the team before he transferred to Barcelona in 2013.

4. He won the Spanish league title with Barcelona

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After having a successful playing career at Arsenal, Alex Song signed a five-year contract with Barcelona for a £15 million transfer fee On 20 August 2012. He made his Barcelona debut against Real Madrid on 29 August 2012 as a substitute for the last 15 minutes, finishing the match with a perfect passing statistic.

Song played 20 matches in Barcelona’s La Liga-winning campaign in his first season, and scored one goal, in a 3–1 home win against Real Zaragoza on 17 November 2012. In his two years at Barcelona, Song made a total of 65 appearances and scored 1 goal in all competitions.

5. He started his Football career at the Age of 16

Song joined the Bastia youth team in 2003–04 and became a part of the first team the following season with 31 appearances. Bastia was playing in Ligue 1 when Song was playing for the team.

While playing for Bastia, he was selected as a part of the French under-16 national team, but he later chose to represent Cameroon, his country of birth. He played as a center-back but later made several appearances as a defensive midfielder. 

During his time at Bastia, Song made a total of 35 appearances in all competitions and was highly regarded by his teammates, coaches, and Bastia supporters.

6. He is a UNHCR Ambassador

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Alex Song has been a High Profile supporter of UNHCR in Cameroon since 2018. His global recognition within the sporting sphere makes him an influential advocate for refugee causes, and he has used his social media platforms to spread awareness and show solidarity with those forced to flee their homes.

In November 2019, Alex and UNHCR Cameroon organized a national football tournament dubbed, ‘Alex Song’s Solidarity Games with Refugees’, which brought together players and football enthusiasts from refugee and host communities in the country.

Song has made numerous visits to several refugee camps in Cameroon, where he took it upon himself to support education for a refugee family’s six children. He also sensitized parents on the importance of sending children to school, especially young girls who are often victims of child marriages.

His visits have been the subject of numerous local and international press articles, raising awareness of UNHCR’s work in the region. Alex spoke at a press conference to the national and international media about the refugee situation in Cameroon in December 2019.

7. He was sacked by Sion FC for refusing a Pay Cut

In March 2020, Alex Song was one of nine players who were sacked by the Swiss super league club, Sion Fc,  for refusing to take a pay cut as an emergency measure following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Along with Song, another former Arsenal player Johan Djourou was sacked along with Christian Zock, Pajtim Kassami, Ermir Lenjani, Xavier Kouassi, Birama Ndoye, Mikael Facchinetti, and Seydou Doumbia.

8. Alex Song was sent off in a FIFA world cup Match

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On 19th June 2014, in a FIFA world match between Cameroon and Croatia, Alex Song was sent off after he elbowed Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic at the end of the first half when his side was already 1-0 down.

His action heavily cost his team as Cameroon went on to lose the match by 4gooals to zero.  He later apologized to Mandžukić, and to the people of Cameroon for his action and was eventually given a three-match ban from competitive internationals by FIFA.

9. He played on a Season-long loan for West Ham

On 30 August 2014, Song joined West Ham United on a season-long loan and he was unveiled to the fans on the same day. He made his debut against Hull City as a second-half substitute on 15 September 2014 in a 2–2 draw.

He played 31 games for West Ham including three in the FA Cup and was praised for his early season form, although his performances deteriorated towards the end of the season.

In August 2015, West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan announced an agreement with Barcelona to sign Song on a three-year permanent contract subject to a medical. His season-long loan to West Ham was confirmed on 1 September with West Ham having the option to extend the loan for a further season.

10. He is a Utility Player

Alex song is known to be a utility player capable of playing in different positions. A versatile player, Song can play as a central midfielder, in a holding role, or even as a center-back.  He is also comfortable with the ball and a strong passer.

Despite his defensive playing role, Song has been described as a “much better player in attack than he is in defensive”.  In addition to his defensive and physical qualities, he is also capable of pushing forward, carrying the ball himself, or starting attacking plays with his passing after winning back possession, thus allowing him to transition quickly between the defensive and offensive phases of the game.

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