Rigobert Song

Rigobert Song
Personal information
Full name	Rigobert Song Bahanag
Date of birth	July 1, 1976 (1976-07-01) (age 33)
Place of birth	Nkanglikock, Cameroon
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Trabzonspor[1]
Number	4
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1994–1997 1997–1998 1998–2000 2000–2002 2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2008 2008–	FC Metz Salernitana Liverpool West Ham United → 1. FC Köln (loan) RC Lens Galatasaray Trabzonspor	123 00(3) 004 00(1) 033 00(0) 024 00(0) 016 00(0) 063 00(3) 108 00(4) 034 00(0)
National team2
1993–	Cameroon	13100(5)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 November 2009. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 9 June 2009. * Appearances (Goals)

Rigobert Song Bahanag (born July 1, 1976 in Nkanglikock) is a Cameroonian football central defender who currently plays for Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor and the Cameroon national team.

Club career

Prior to joining Trabzonspor in 2008, Song played for Metz, Salernitana, Liverpool, West Ham, Cologne, RC Lens, and Galatasaray. He became an instant fan favorite after his transfer to Galatasaray and formed a strong defensive partnership with Stjepan Tomas at the heart of the defense.

During the 2006–07 season, he struggled to find a place in the team after an argument with then Galatasaray manager Eric Gerets during a league game. Although Song apologized for the incident both publicly and privately, Gerets did not take a back step and the player remained punished. With the arrival of new coach Karl-Heinz Feldkamp, Song once again become a vital member of the squad. But in the following years he lost his enthusiasm to play for Galatasaray and became transferred to Trabzonspor which spent considerable amounts of money in order to build a new team at the beginning of 2008-2009 season.

After a successful start to 2008-2009 season, Song became fan-favorite in Trabzon, nicknamed "Big Chief", played 28 games in Süper Lig without any yellow/red cards. However, the end of the season was a disappointment for the fans and Song's performances were criticized by media and fans. After Ersun Yanal resigned he lost his place in the starting lineup. However, he became Trabzonspor's new captain in December 1, 2009 after Şenol Güneş taking place as manager.

International career

A key player for Cameroon for over a decade, Song played in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 World Cups. He is their most capped player ever. He is the captain of his national team.

With Zinedine Zidane, Song is one of only two players to have been sent off in two different World Cups, against Brazil in 1994 and Chile in 1998. He also holds the record as youngest player ever to be sent off in a World Cup, aged 17.

In the 2006 African Cup of Nations, Rigobert became the most capped player in Cameroon history. Also, in the same competition, Song broke the record for the greatest number of matches played at the CAF African Cup of Nations.

He was dropped as national team captain after the arrival of Paul Le Guen who succeeded Otto Pfister as coach in July 2009. Samuel Eto'o became the new captain.

Personal life

Song's father, Paul Song, died when Rigobert was young. As such, he never really knew his father but nevertheless dedicates all his success to him, as his absence was a strong motivational force for him.

Rigobert Song is married to Esther, and has three children (a son and two daughters): Ronny, his oldest child; Yohanna Bernadette, his first daughter was born on September 22, 2002 and his second daughter, Hillary Veronique Liliane, was born on September 13, 2004.

In the Morning of June 15, 2008, Song was accused of assaulting an Air hostess in Dar es Salaam International Airport a day after Cameroon were held to a goalless draw by minnows Tanzania in World Cup qualifier encounter. The plane pilot refused to take off until a Cameroonian official apologised.

His nephew Alexandre Song is a defensive midfielder for Premier League side Arsenal.

Rigobert Song at Galatasaray

Honours

Metz

• Coupe de la Ligue: 1996

Galatasaray

• Turkish League: 2005-06, 2007-08
• Fortis Turkey Cup: 2004-05

International

• Africa Cup of Nations: 2000, 2002

References

• Rigobert Song - FootballDatabase

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Rigobert Song - Navigation boxes and awards v • d • e Cameroon squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Bell • 2 Kana‑Biyik • 3 Song • 4 Ekeme • 5 Ndip • 6 Libiih • 7 Omam‑Biyik • 8 Mbouh • 9 Milla • 10 Mfédé • 11 Maboang • 12 Loga • 13 Kalla • 14 Tataw • 15 Agbo • 16 Tchami • 17 Foé • 18 Fiala • 19 Embé • 20 Mouyémé • 21 Nkono • 22 Songo'o • Coach: Michel v • d • e Cameroon squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 Songo'o • 2 Elanga • 3 Wome • 4 Song • 5 Kalla • 6 Njanka • 7 Omam‑Biyik • 8 Angibeaud • 9 Tchami • 10 Mboma • 11 Eto'o • 12 Lauren • 13 Abanda • 14 Simo • 15 Ndo • 16 William • 17 Pensée • 18 Ipoua • 19 Mahouvé • 20 Olembé • 21 Job • 22 Alioum • Coach: Le Roy v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2000 African Nations Cup Winners (4th Title) 1 Boukar • 2 Atouba • 3 Wome • 4 Song • 5 Kalla • 6 Njanka • 7 Tchoutang • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Mboma • 11 Ndiefi • 12 Lauren • 13 Mettomo • 14 Pensée • 15 Ndo • 16 Bekono • 17 Foé • 18 Hamga • 19 Mahouvé • 20 Olembé • 21 Job • 22 Hamidou • Coach: Lechantre v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup 1 Boukar • 2 Tchato • 3 Wome • 4 Song • 5 Kalla • 6 Njanka • 7 Tchoutang • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Mboma • 11 Lauren • 12 Songo'o • 13 Mettomo • 14 Epalle • 15 Alnoudji • 16 Tchatchoua • 17 Foé • 18 Ndiefi • 19 Pensée • 20 Olembé • 21 Job • 22 Kome • Coach: Lechantre v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Alioum • 2 Tchato • 3 Wome • 4 Song • 5 Kalla • 6 Njanka • 7 Ndo • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Mboma • 11 Ndiefi • 12 Lauren • 13 Mettomo • 14 Epalle • 15 Alnoudji • 16 Songo'o • 17 Foé • 18 Suffo • 19 Djemba‑Djemba • 20 Olembé • 21 Job • 22 Kameni • 23 Ngom Kome • Coach: Schäfer v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Runners-up 1 Kameni • 2 Tchato • 3 Perrier-Doumbé • 4 Song • 5 Atouba • 6 Njanka • 7 M'bami • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Emana • 11 Ndiefi • 12 Kwekeu • 13 Mettomo • 14 Epalle • 15 Bahoken • 16 Mezague • 17 Foé • 18 Idrissou • 19 Djemba-Djemba • 20 Falemi • 21 Job • 22 Ngon Adjam • 23 Eboué • Coach: Schäfer v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2004 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Kameni • 2 Perrier-Doumbé • 3 Tchato • 4 Song • 5 Atouba • 6 Njanka • 7 M'bami • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Mboma • 11 Ndiefi • 12 Falemi • 13 Mettomo • 14 Makoun • 15 Bahoken • 16 Tignyemb • 17 Kameni • 18 Idrissou • 19 Djemba-Djemba • 20 Olembé • 21 Mezague • 22 D. N. Kome • Coach: Schäfer v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Kameni • 2 Ateba • 3 Atouba • 4 Song • 5 Wome • 6 Angbwa • 7 Kome • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Emana • 11 Makoun • 12 Deumi • 13 Feutchine • 14 Saidou • 15 Webó • 16 Hamidou • 17 Edebe • 18 Douala • 19 Djemba-Djemba • 20 Olembé • 21 Lauren • 22 Mbarga • 23 Meyong • Coach: Artur Jorge v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Runners-up 1 Kameni • 2 Binya • 3 Tchato • 4 R. Song • 5 Atouba • 6 Angbwa • 7 M'bami • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Emana • 11 Makoun • 12 N'Kong • 13 N'Guémo • 14 Epalle • 15 A. Song • 16 Hamidou • 17 Idrissou • 18 Tomou • 19 Mbia • 20 Essola • 21 Job • 22 Mbarga • 23 Bikey • Coach: Pfister