
Football players usually dread being sent off, particularly when it happens during a global showpiece such as the FIFA World Cup. For Rigobert Song Bahanag, the matching orders perhaps came too early in his career.
Song came into the limelight at a very tender age. Due to his skills and brevity in the defense, Rigobert was named the captain of the U-20 side when he was just 16 years old.
A year later, the then Cameroonian head coach Henri Michel would notice his talent and include him into the senior squad that took part in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
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However, after playing only one match against Sweden, misfortune struck for Song. He became the youngest player to receive a red card in a FIFA World Cup fixture when he was sent off in a match against South American powerhouse Brazil at the tender age of 17.
Brazil were leading 1-0 in the Group B match held in California, United States before Song completely lost his cool in the 63rd minute.
He tried to prevent Brazilian pacey winger Jose Roberto Oliviera popularly known as Bebeto from delivering a cross, but his two footed challenge came too late, in the process missing the ball and bringing down his opponent.
The referee was left with no other option but to show the former Liverpool player a red card. Despite a spirited display from the West African side, Brazil went on to win the match 3-0.
Apart from his prowess in the back line, setting records was perhaps Song’s other talent. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup staged in France, Song was again shown a red card in a match against Chile, making him the first player to be sent off in two consecutive world cup editions.
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The French and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane would soon follow Song's path, receiving red cards at both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup editions. Zidane’s second red card in the match against eventual winners Italy, is still fresh in the minds of many football fans.
However, despite receiving red cards at a young age, Song went on to become one of Cameroon’s most capped players featuring at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups. He made a total of 137 appearances for Cameroon.
Song who also had short stints at Turkish side Galatasaray, Lens and Westham United managed to play in 8 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, in the process winning two titles in 2000 and 2002. Very few players on the continent have achieved that.
The 46-year-old was recently named the Indomitable Lions head coach after the recommendation of the country’s President. His first match was against North Africa rivals Algeria in which Cameroon won 2-1 to book a direct ticket for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar later this year.
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