Getty Alex Song with his Barca teammates.
Former Barcelona midfielder Alex Song has offered some revealing insight into his time at the Camp Nou and has made it crystal clear that being on the bench did not bother him in the slightest.
Song spoke about his decision to join Barcelona from Arsenal back in 2012 in an Instagram chat with NBA star Pascal Siakam, as reported by Diario AS.
“When Barcelona offered me a contract and I saw how much I would earn, I didn’t think twice. I felt that my wife and children should have comfortable lives once I finish my degree,” he said. “I met the sports director of Barça and he told me that I would not play many games, but I did not care, I knew that now I would become a millionaire. I didn’t give a s*** about being a bench warmer at Camp Nou for the money I earned.”
Barca signed Song on a five-year deal for a reported fee of €19 million and with a €80m release clause. Yet the midfielder failed to shine during his time at the club, making only 65 appearances, scoring once and producing two assists.
The midfielder regularly features in lists of Barcelona’s all-time worst signings and is famously remembered for the embarrassing time he stepped forward to take the Liga trophy from Carles Puyol when the captain was calling for Eric Abidal instead.
I think often about the time Alex Song genuinely thought Carles Puyol wanted him to lift La Liga trophy ahead of liver cancer survivor Eric Abidal
Song was twice sent on loan to Premier League side West Ham United before Barca eventually reached an agreement to terminate his contract in 2016.
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Song Talks Money and Arsenal
The midfielder also opened up about his time at Arsenal and how he used to waste money during his six years with the Premier League side.
“Most footballers live beyond their means. I was at Arsenal for eight years but only began to earn a good living in the last four,” he said. “That was because my salary went up a lot – but also because I came to realise what a waster I was. When I first joined them I was getting £15,000 a week. I was a young lad, and I was ecstatic.”
Song also spoke about a time where he decided to buy a new car, after seeing what team-mate Thierry Henry drove, but ended up having to sell it because it was costing him too much money.
“I would go to training and see Thierry Henry – the King – turn up in an absolute gem of a car. I told myself I wanted the same car at all costs,” he said. “I went to the dealership, signed the papers and arranged to pay for it by standing order – and just like that I had the same car as The King. But I swear that I had to hand the car back inside two months. All my money was going on filling it with petrol. I told them: ‘Give me a Toyota – this car’s too much for me.’ When I next went to training Thierry asked me: ‘Where’s your car, son?’ I told him it’s on a higher level than me. During my entire time at Arsenal I couldn’t even save £100,000, while people thought I must be a millionaire.”
Song’s career went rapidly downhill after he left Arsenal. He enjoyed spells with Rubin Kazan and Sion after leaving Barcelona and is currently playing for Arta Solar 7 in Djibouti.
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