Alex Song

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.

Song joined the Bastia youth team in 2003–04 and became a part of the first team the following season with 31 appearances.

Bastia were playing in Ligue 1 during the time Song had a stint there.

Song was noted for his high versatility

While playing for Bastia, he was selected as a part of France under-16 national team.

He later chose to represent Cameroon, his country of birth.

He played as a centre-back but later made several appearances as a defensive midfielder.

He was highly regarded in this position by numerous coaches and supporters of Bastia.

During his time at Bastia, he attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Internazionale, Juventus, Manchester United, Lyon and Middlesbrough.

Unwilling to sell their prized asset, Bastia agreed to loan him to the Gunners for one season only in 2005.

Despite being linked heavily with Lyon, he was sold to Arsenal for a £1 million transfer fee.

During his time at Bastia, Song made a total of 32 league appearances.

Song impressed Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger as a trialist during Arsenal's pre-season training camp in Austria, and Arsenal secured his services on loan for the 2005–06 season on 11 August 2005.

Song made his Premier League debut during Arsenal's 2–0 win against Everton on 19 September 2005 as a substitute.

He played in several UEFA Champions League matches and made several Premier League starts near the end of the season, when first team players were injured or being rested.

Arsenal agreed to a £1 million fee in June 2006 and signed him to a four-year contract.

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

On 30 January 2007, it was confirmed that Charlton Athletic had signed Song on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.

Although he impressed, Charlton were relegated and Song returned to Arsenal.

Over the 2007–08 season, Song started at centre back for Arsenal's League Cup matches, but missed their semi-final elimination by Tottenham Hotspur while away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He also started at centre-back in Premier League matches towards the end of the season, most notably in Arsenal's crucial visit to Old Trafford against Manchester United, while regular starter Kolo Touré filled in for Bacary Sagna at right-back.

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.

The 2008–09 season was Song's breakthrough year with Arsenal.

The then 21-year-old established himself as a key member of Arsène Wenger's squad, making 48 appearances in all competitions.

He enjoyed his most productive and eye-catching campaign yet as he emerged as a forte and powerhouse of Arsenal's midfield being the perfect partner for Cesc Fàbregas in Arsenal's centre.

Of the Cameroonian, Wenger remarked, "I brought him here aged 17 and worked very hard with him, we worked hard because I felt he had the talent to become a good player. I know that the opinions are changing about him now."

On 21 October 2008, Song scored his first goal in European competition for Arsenal against Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions League.

Song's first league goal, and third in all competitions for the Gunners, was scored against Wigan Athletic on 11 April 2009 in which he took on several players and then coolly finished in the bottom corner.

Arsenal won the match 4–1.

Song began the season well, playing in all but one of Arsenal's first 12 league games.

Song played for the Cameroon national team in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

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.

He is the nephew of former footballer Rigobert Song.

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, Petit Song (as he is known in the Cameroon side) opted to move to France, joining Bastia at age 16.

One of the players who inspired Song the most when he was young was Michael Essien.

In 2011, Song became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer, an international non-profit organisation working through football to stop the spread of HIV.