Craig Bellamy

Craig Bellamy

Craig Douglas Bellamy (born 13 July 1979) is a Welsh footballer who plays as a forward for Cardiff City and the Welsh national team.

Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to injuries.

Since making his professional debut for Norwich City in 1997, he has played for a number of clubs in England, making his name at Newcastle United when signed by Bobby Robson in 2001 and has also had a loan spell with Scottish Premier League side Celtic in 2005. On 31 August 2011, Bellamy completed a move back to former club Liverpool from Manchester City.

During his career, Bellamy has won one League Cup, one Scottish Cup and one FA Community Shield. He also has been a runner-up in both the FA Cup and the Champions League. He has been criticised for his behaviour both on and off the pitch, but has accumulated millions of pounds for various charities and also established a football academy in Sierra Leone.

He made his senior debut for Wales in 1998 and since then has turned out a total of 69 times for his country, scoring 19 goals, though 14 years on he has still yet to play in a major international tournament. He was a member of the Great Britain Olympic Football Team at the 2012 Games in London, appearing five times and scoring once.