Alexandre Song

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Alexandre Song
Personal information
Full name	Alexandre Song Billong
Date of birth	September 9, 1987 (1987-09-09) (age 20)
Place of birth	Douala, Cameroon
Height	1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Midfielder, Defender
Club information
Current club	Arsenal
Number	17
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2003-2004 2004-2006 2005-2006 2006- 2007	Bastia B Bastia → Arsenal (loan) Arsenal → Charlton Athletic (loan)	24 (0) 32 (0)[1] 05 (0) 011 (0) 12 (0)
National team2
2002-2003 2003-2004 2008-	France U16 Cameroon U17 Cameroon	06 (0) 03 (0) 08 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:44, 19 April 2008 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 09:20, 2 June 2008 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Alexandre Song Billong (born September 9, 1987 in Douala, Cameroon) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for Arsenal of the English Premier League. He is the nephew of Galatasaray player Rigobert Song. He normally plays central midfielder, but has featured as a central defender during the 2007-08 season.

Contents 1 Club career 1.1 Bastia 1.2 Arsenal 2 International career 3 Cameroon career statistics 4 Honours 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Club career

[edit] Bastia

Song joined the Bastia youth team in 2003-04 and became a part of the first team the following season with 34 appearances. During his time at Bastia, he attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Inter, Manchester United, Lyon, and Middlesbrough.^[2] However, he 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. Arsenal agreed to a £1 million fee^[3] in June 2006 and signed him to a four year contract.

[edit] Arsenal

Song made his Premiership debut during Arsenal's 2-0 win against Everton F.C. on September 19, 2005 as a substitute. He played in several Champions League matches and made several Premiership starts near the end of the season, when players like Cesc Fàbregas and Gilberto Silva were injured or being rested.

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

On January 30, 2007, it was confirmed that Charlton Athletic had signed Song on loan until the end of the 2006-07 season.^[4] Although he impressed, Charlton were relegated and Song returned to Arsenal.

Over the 2007-08 season, Song started at centerback for Arsenal's Carling Cup matches, but missed their semifinal elimination by Tottenham while away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations. He also started at centerback in Premier League ties 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 and Philippe Senderos was emotionally shaken by Arsenal's quarter-final exit from the Champions League.

[edit] International career

Although uncapped at the time, Song was named in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his international debut for Cameroon in their first group match, a 4-2 defeat against holders Egypt; he replaced Stephane Mbia at half time, joining his uncle Rigobert on the pitch. For the duration of the tournament he was a revelation in defense for Cameroon, earning a Man of the Match award in Cameroon's semi final, but then unfortunately going off injured in the Final against Egypt. He was nonetheless named in the Tournament Best XI, alongside Newcastle midfielder Geremi.

[edit] Cameroon career statistics

(correct as of 10 February 2008)

National Football Team	Africa Cup of Nations			World Cup			Qualifying matches Africa Cup of Nations			Qualifying matches World Cup			Friendly internationals			Total
	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Cameroon	6	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	1

[edit] Honours

Cameroon

• African Cup of Nations: runner-up 2008

With Arsenal

Personal

• chosen in African Cup of Nations 2008 best XI

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• (French) Alexandre Song French league stats at lfp.fr

• Profile at Arsenal.com
• Alexandre Song career stats at Soccerbase
• Profile at 4thegame.com

v • d • e Arsenal F.C. – current squad 2 Diaby • 3 Sagna • 4 Fàbregas • 5 Touré • 6 Senderos • 7 Rosický • 9 Eduardo • 10 Gallas • 11 van Persie • 13 Hleb • 15 Denílson • 17 Song • 19 Gilberto • 20 Djourou • 21 Fabiański • 22 Clichy • 24 Almunia • 25 Adebayor • 26 Bendtner • 27 Eboué • 30 Traoré • 31 J. Hoyte • 32 Walcott • 34 Gibbs • 35 Nordtveit • 36 Randall • 37 Rodgers • 38 Simpson • 39 Lansbury • 40 Mannone • 41 G. Hoyte • 42 Mérida • 43 Barazite • 44 Ogogo • 45 Dunne • 46 Gilbert • 47 Steer • — Vela • Manager: Wenger

Persondata
NAME	Billong, Alexandre Song
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Song, Alex
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH	1987-09-09
PLACE OF BIRTH	Douala, Cameroon
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH