Biography
Who is Alex Song?
Early life and real name
Alexandre Dimitri Ngo Bahanak was born on September 9, 1987. He was born in Nkenglicock, Cameroon. He lost his father when he was three years old. His uncle Rigobert Song influenced his choice to play football. Alex Song moved to France at 16. He joined the Bastia club there. Michael Essien inspired him during his youth.
Career at Bastia and Arsenal
Alex joined the Bastia youth team during the 2003-04 season. He played 31 games for the first team the next year. He played in Ligue 1. He represented the France under-16 national team. Later, he chose to play for Cameroon. Bastia loaned him to Arsenal in 2005. Arsenal bought him for 1 million pounds in June 2006. He made 32 league appearances for Bastia. Clubs like Juventus and Manchester United wanted him.
He debuted for Arsenal on September 19, 2005 against Everton. He scored his first goal for the club on January 9, 2007 against Liverpool. He spent part of the 2006-07 season on loan at Charlton Athletic. During the 2007-08 season, he played centre back in League Cup matches. He missed the semi-final against Tottenham. He played centre-back in Premier League games, including one at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
Success and move to Barcelona
In the 2008-09 season, Alex made 48 appearances. He partnered with Cesc Fabregas in the midfield. He scored against Fenerbahce in the Champions League on October 21, 2008. He scored his first league goal for Arsenal on April 11, 2009 against Wigan Athletic. He signed a new contract in November 2009. He scored the 1,000th Premier League goal for Arsene Wenger on September 11, 2010.
He scored against Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City in October 2010. He scored a header against West Ham on October 30, 2010. He scored against Chelsea on December 27, 2010. In 2012, he moved to Barcelona for 15 million euros. He played as a central or defensive midfielder. He also worked as a central defender.
International career and charity
Alex represented the Cameroon national team. He played in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He was part of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. He was the only Cameroonian on the tournament's best team. He holds both French and Cameroonian nationality.
In 2011, he became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer. This non-profit group uses football to stop HIV. He is the cousin of rugby player Junior Nsemba.
Personal life and incidents
Alex is 185 centimeters tall. In February 2011, police impounded his car for speeding. He also failed to provide documents. He received a three-match ban for stamping Joey Barton during a game.
Birthday and age
Alex Song was born on September 9, 1987, which makes Alex 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Alex shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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