Alexandre "Alex" Dimitri Song Billong (born 9 September 1987), more commonly known as Alex Song, is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays for Premier League side Arsenal and the Cameroon national team as a midfielder. He is the cousin of The Panthers central defender Rigobert Song (though he refers to him as uncle).[4] He plays as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four and has also played as a stand-in centre back and right back.
Originally a utility player on the fringes of the first team, he quickly became an integral part of the first team during the preseason to the 2008–09 campaign. He played for the Cameroon national football team in 2010 FIFA World Cup.[5][6] Song was called-up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian named in the Team of the Tournament. Known for his colourful hair dye, Song also possesses a French passport.

Song was born in Douala, Cameroon and lost his father at the age of three. Since then, his cousin 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 SC Bastia at the age of 16.[5] One of the players who inspired Song the most when he was young was Michael Essien.[7]
Song wanted to give his children a good upbringing in life, which he claims eluded him; he married at the age of 18 and is now father to two children, the older being two-year-old Nolan.[8] Song is one of 28 children in his family; he has 17 sisters and 10 brothers

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.[14] Arsenal agreed to a £1 million fee[15] in June 2006 and signed him to a four-year contract. Song made his Premiership 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 Premiership starts near the end of the season, when first team players 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 9 January 2007.[16]
On 30 January 2007, it was confirmed that Charlton Athletic had signed Song on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.[17] Although he impressed, Charlton were relegated and Song returned to Arsenal.
Over the 2007–08 season, Song started at centre back for Arsenal's Carling Cup matches, but missed their semi-final elimination by Tottenham while away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations. He also started at centre back 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.