Alex Song is now a property developer and title winner, life after Barcelona is very different for him

Many footballers and retired footballers end up having some interesting life stories after they've been at the top of the game, and Alex Song certainly has one of them.

Song is best known for his time in England at Arsenal, especially his lovely long balls to set up Robin van Persie, or when he moved to Barcelona.

There was also his spells with West Ham and Rubin Kazan, when it comes to playing at the top level of the sport, winning La Liga and the Supercopa in Spain.

His greatest moment came when winning that Spanish title, when he awkwardly thought he was being ushered forward to take part in a trophy lift, but it was actually Eric Abidal, fresh from recovering from a liver transplant, who was being asked to hold the title aloft.

The Cameroonian left West Ham in 2016, moving to Kazan for two seasons and then went to join Sion in the Swiss Super League for another two years.

He was sacked by the side in 2020, after he, and eight teammates, refused to take pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic, unlike the rest of the squad.

As per the Sun, the 35-year-old now leads a very different life, although he has continued playing, now appearing for Djiboutian club Arta/Solar7.

The midfielder is also part of the club's youth development in Solar during his time with the club, as he looks to help the next generation of players in East Africa.

Song during his time at Arsenal. Image: Alamy

He's actually won two Djibouti titles since landing back in Africa, following his long career in Europe, which started in France with Bastia.

As well as his football, the former Barca man is now a property developer back in Cameroon, for whom he played 49 time for and was an African Cup of Nations runner up.

His company have built an apartment block in Douala and he's also opened an international school in the West African country.

He's previously admitted that he only left north London for Spain to make money, saying, "I was at Arsenal for eight years but only began to earn a good living in the last four. That was because my salary went up a lot – but also because I came to realise what a waster I was.

"During my entire time at Arsenal, I couldn't even save £100,000, while people thought I must be a millionaire.

"When Barcelona offered me a contract, and I saw how much I would earn, I didn't think twice. I felt my wife and children should have comfortable lives once my career is over.

"I met Barca's sporting director, and he told me I would not get to play many games, but I didn't give a f*** – I knew that now I would become a millionaire."