Song, capped 137 times, played in four World Cup finals and a record eight African Nations Cups as well as winning Olympic gold in 2000.
YAOUNDE, Cameroon, Oct 4- Former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song is reportedly out of a coma, breathing by himself and has been flown to France after suffering a cerebral aneurysm on Sunday.
Two photographs emerged of Song on Twitter on Tuesday, telling the news, and showing him sitting up in a hospital bed and then being wheeled by medics.
Former Liverpool, West Ham United and Cameroon defender Song was reportedly fighting for his life after being rushed to hospital in Yaounde.
The head of the hospital’s emergency unit, Louis Joss Bitang, said late Monday that Song had come out of his coma.
“His condition is acceptable,” he said, adding that the former player was breathing without aid and cerebral bleeding was controlled.
The 40-year-old is the uncle of former Arsenal, West Ham United and Charlton midfielder, Alex.
The head coach of Chad’s senior national team was in a critical condition after a stroke.
He reportedly fell ill at his home in the Cameroon capital and was said to be in a coma, according to French publication L’Equipe.
Song joined Liverpool in a £2.7million move in 1999 from Metz, but only made 39 appearances for the Reds before moving on to sign for West Ham the following year.
He then left east London to join Cologne on loan, before having spells with Lens, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor in Turkey to finish his playing career in 2010.
The football world was quick to unite in support of the popular ex-player, who won 137 caps for Cameroon and a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
Fellow Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o posted a picture of Song with the caption: ‘I wish you a lot of courage and a speedy recovery big brother!’
Jamie Carragher, Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler also posted messages of sympathy in the wake of the news.
Former Liverpool midfielder Patrik Berger also paid tribute to Song, posting on Twitter: ‘Just got the news that Rigobert Song is fighting for his life after having a stroke…get well soon buddy #YNWA’.
Song was appointed as Chad national team coach on October 20, succeeding Frenchman Emmanuel Tregoat. He’d been working for the Cameroonian Football Federation in recent years.
His first game in charge was the first leg of a play-off match in qualification for the World Cup in Russia in three years time against Egypt, which Les Sao won 1-0.
However, they went down 4-0 in the return fixture days later to exit the qualifying process in the second round.
-By Daily Mail–
