Ex-Liverpool player Rigobert Song in coma, football fraternity offers support

Yaounde: Former Liverpool defender and ex-captain of the Cameroon’s national side, Rigobert Song, 40, was in a coma on Monday after suffering a stroke. [caption id=“attachment_3032506” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song. Reuters[/caption] Cameroon’s state radio reported that Song, who also played for West Ham United in England, Metz and Lens in France and Galatasaray in Turkey, was rushed to a nearby hospital from his Yaounde home on Sunday after suffering a cerebral aneurysm. Song was in a coma, the radio reported. “I wish you lots of courage and a speedy recovery,” former Cameroon team-mate Samuel Eto’o said in a Facebook post. He made his international debut on 22 September 1993 against Mexico. Song, capped 137 times, played in four World Cup finals and a record eight African Nations Cups and also won Olympic gold in 2000. Song was a part of the Cameroon team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He was appointed as the coach of Chad in October 2015. The world football community has stood behind Song at this time of crisis. “Our thoughts are with Rigobert Song and his family at this time.” Liverpool tweeted. Former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher, Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler also posted messages of support. (With inputs from AFP)