Rigobert Song

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rigobert Song
Personal information
Full name	Rigobert Song Bahanag
Date of birth	July 1, 1976 (1976-07-01) (age 31)
Place of birth	Nkanglikock, Cameroon
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Galatasaray
Number	4
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1993-1994 1994-1997 1997-1998 1998-2000 2000-2002 2001-2002 2002-2004 2004-	Tonnerre Yaoundé FC Metz Salernitana Liverpool West Ham United → 1. FC Köln (loan) RC Lens Galatasaray	000 (0) 123 (3) 004 (1) 033 (0) 024 (0) 016 (0) 063 (3) 108 (4)
National team2
1993-	Cameroon	119 (5)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 June 2008. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

Rigobert Song Bahanag (born July 1, 1976) is a Cameroonian football central defender who currently plays for Galatasaray S.K..

[edit] Club career

Prior to joining Galatasaray in 2004, Song played for Metz, Salernitana, Liverpool, West Ham, Cologne, and RC Lens.

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 2006-2007 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. The emergence of Emre Güngör as a solid defender for Galatasaray pushed Song to the substitutes bench in the second half of the 2007/08 season.

[edit] 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.

Apart from Zinedine Zidane, Song is the only player 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. [1]

[edit] 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.

His nephew Alexandre Song is a defender for English Premier League side Arsenal FC.

[edit] Honours

• Cameroon
  • Africa Cup of Nations: 2 (2000, 2002)
    • Runners-up: 1 (2008)

• Galatasaray
  • Turkish League: 2 (2005-06, 2007-08)

• Metz
  • French League Cup: 1 (1996)

[edit] External links

• Profile at galatasaray.org
• Profile at TFF.org
• Profile at transfermarkt.de
• Liverpool Past Player Profile

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 Boukar • Coach: Le Roy

v • d • e Cameroon squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Boukar • 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