Sébastien Aymar Bassong Nguena (born 9 July 1986) is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. Born in France, he opted to play for the Cameroon national team.
Born in Paris, France, Metz signed Bassong out of the Clairefontaine academy. After progressing through the ranks of the FC Metz's youth team, he was promoted to the reserve side for the 2004–05 season.
In the 2005–06 season, Bassong was promoted to the first team and made his professional debut for FC Metz, starting the whole game, in a 0–0 draw against Strasbourg on 23 August 2005, keeping a clean sheet in a process. Following his debut, Bassong soon received a handful of first team appearances for the side throughout the 2005–06 season. In his first professional season at FC Metz, Bassong went on to make twenty–four appearances in all competitions. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he was offered his first professional contract, which he signed a three–year contract.
The 2006–07 season saw Bassong becoming a first team regular for FC Metz, establishing himself in the defensive position. He said that he progressed in the first team, as the season progressed. Since the start of the 2006–07 season, Bassong started in every match until he missed one match, due to international commitment. After his return to the starting lineup, he helped the side keep five clean sheets between 30 March 2007 and 27 April 2007. During the encounter, Bassong helped the side beat Amiens 2–0 on 20 April 2007 to secure their place in Ligue 1 next season after being relegated in the previous season. On 18 May 2007, Bassong scored his first professional goal for the side, in a 2–1 loss against Strasbourg. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he went on to make thirty–eight appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
In the 2007–08 season, with the club playing in Ligue 1, Bassong, however, was sidelined at the start of the season, due to hamstring he sustained in the pre–season. It wasn't until on 15 September 2007 when he returned to the starting up for the side, in a 5–1 loss against Lyon. Halfway through the 2007–08 season, Bassong was soon sidelined with suspension and another injury. At the end of the 2007–08 season, which saw FC Metz relegated once again, Bassong went on to make twenty–four appearances in all competitions.
During his three years spell at FC Metz, Bassong played seventy–nine times and scoring once, in the French second tier.
In July 2008, Bassong was offered a one-week trial with Newcastle United and made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Doncaster Rovers. On 30 July, it was confirmed that Newcastle had agreed a fee of £500,000 with Metz for Bassong.
Bassong made his professional debut for Newcastle on 26 August 2008 in a League Cup game away to Coventry City, before playing his first league game for Newcastle away to Arsenal five days later when he came on as a substitute for José Enrique. Since joining the club, Bassong began to receive a handful of first team appearances for the side, playing in the left–back position. Despite the club's struggles in the league, his performance was praised by Manager Joe Kinnear. Following the return of José Enrique, Bassong moved to playing in the centre–back position. However, he received his first red card for the club away to Wigan Athletic on 26 December 2008. Following his return from suspension, Bassong continued to regain his first team place for the side despite suffering from groin injury and then was sent–off once again on 16 May 2009 as part of 0–1 home defeat to Fulham in the penultimate game of the season. In his first season at Newcastle United, Bassong went on to make thirty–four appearances in all competitions.
At the end of the season, Bassong was named the Newcastle Player of the Season for 2008–09. He was considered by the club's supporters as the best signing this season. Following Newcastle's relegation to the Championship, Bassong expressed his desire to leave the club, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur linked with him. But the club was keen on selling him for £15 million. In July 2009, Bassong said he wanted to leave the club, which he later cited "shambolic political situation at the club, with no manager or owner in place and pre-season well under way". The following month, Bassong was fined by Newcastle United for not traveling with the squad during the club's pre–season tour.
On 6 August 2009, it was confirmed he had passed a medical at Spurs signing a five-year deal and completed an £8 million move to the North London club that same day. Newcastle United previously rejected a £10 million from Tottenham Hotspur for him.
Bassong scored on his debut for Tottenham in a 2–1 victory over Liverpool, heading in the winner from a free kick cross from teammate Luka Modrić in the 59th minute. During a 3–0 loss against Chelsea on 22 September 2009, he suffered a concussion "after falling awkwardly in a collision with Nicolas Anelka" and had to be substituted. But Bassong was given an "all clear", allowing him to return to the starting lineup for the side. He started in every match since the start of the season, due to the absence of Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King until he missed one match in early–November after suffering from a hamstring injury. Since returning to the first team from a hamstring injury, Bassong continued to fight for his first team place, as he was featured in and out of the club's starting lineup. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Bassong went on to make thirty–eight appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
At the start of Tottenham's 2010–11 Champions League campaign, Bassong scored Spurs' first goal in a 3–2 losing effort to Swiss club Young Boys. However, he failed to start or make the bench for the second leg in which Spurs won 4–0 (6–3 on aggregate), sending Tottenham into the Champions League group stages. During a 4–1 loss against rivals, Arsenal on 22 September 2010, Bassong fouled Samir Nasri in the penalty box, which Nasri, himself, converted the penalty successfully; and after the match, he said about the foul: "I touched his chest but I did not grab him. He went down too easily. He told me afterwards that I just barely touched him." However, Bassong found himself behind the pecking order in the centre–backs and found himself in the substitute bench and cover role throughout the season. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Bassong only made 12 league appearances during the season with one league goal away at Birmingham City on 4 December 2010.
Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Bassong expressed his desire to leave Tottenham Hotspur, citing lack of first team opportunities at the club. Throughout the summer transfer window, he was linked a move to Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers, but ultimately stayed at Tottenham Hotspur. However, he continued to remain behind the pecking order in the centre–backs. Despite this, Bassong captained the side for the first time in the UEFA Europa League against Rubin Kazan on 21 October 2011; and helped the side win 1–0. In the next encounter against Rubin Kazan on 3 November 2011, however, he was at fault for giving away a free kick, leading to a goal from the opposition team, as Tottenham Hotspur lost 1–0. By the time he departed to Wolverhampton Wanderers for the rest of the 2011–12 season, Bassong made thirteen appearances for Tottenham Hotspur this season.
On 31 January 2012, Bassong joined fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until the end of the 2011–12 season. Upon joining Wolverhampton Wanderers, he said he joined the club because of first team football.
Four days later, he made his debut for Wolves, playing the full 90 minutes in the 2–1 win against QPR. After suffering a hamstring injury, he returned to the starting lineup and featured in a number of matches in the first team until his sending off in the early first–half, in a 3–0 loss against Arsenal. However, his loan spell with Wolves did not prevent the club from being relegated after a 2–0 home loss to Manchester City. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Bassong made nine appearances for the side and returned to his parent club.