Jamie Carragher once “hunted down” a Liverpool teammate after discovering he had mocked him.
Carragher, who spent his entire career at Liverpool, made 737 appearances for the Reds, winning the Champions League, two FA Cups, three League Cups, and one UEFA Cup. Despite growing up as an Everton fan, he became a Liverpool legend, with his connection to the club remaining strong nearly two decades after his debut.
Known for his tough-tackling, no-nonsense style, Carragher shared a story of how he reacted after being ridiculed for his first England call-up. The 46-year-old, who earned 38 caps for England after debuting against Hungary in April 1999, recalled how teammate Rigobert Song laughed at the news of his selection. Carragher took it personally and, during training, delivered a fierce tackle on the Cameroon international, leaving him “limping with grimace.”
In his 2008 autobiography, Carragher revealed he “did” Song, the uncle of former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, at the first chance he got. Despite Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier’s rule against hard tackles in training, Carragher admitted he had never sought out a 50-50 challenge with greater determination.
Recalling the incident in a column for The Telegraph about Harry Maguire, Carragher wrote: “Ask ex-Liverpool defender and current Cameroon coach Rigobert Song. The day I was first called up to the England squad, he openly laughed at me with some teammates. Twenty minutes later, during training, I approached the session like it was the Merseyside derby, ignoring the usual ban on strong tackles and making my point, especially when Song was nearby.
“A line had to be drawn. No one was going to take the p*** out of me like that.”
Explaining his reaction, Carragher added: “Judge me as you will, but there are moments in your career when you need to defend yourself, protect your reputation, and fight back. Football is brutal, and if anyone—fans, teammates, or coaches—senses weakness, they will finish you.”
Carragher also recalled telling Song after the tackle, “You’re not f***ing laughing now, are you?”
Song, who made 38 appearances for Liverpool, went on to play for clubs like West Ham, Lens, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor. Notably, he is the only player to be sent off in two World Cups. After managing Cameroon’s national team for two years, Song recently took over as head coach of the Central African Republic in January 2024, following his dismissal as Cameroon’s manager.