Liverpool legend refuses ex-team-mate’s apology, declares they will never be friends
This article contains affiliate links, and we will receive a commission on any sales generated from it. John Arne Riise has confessed that he will never be friends with former Liverpool team-mate Craig Bellamy. He finds it ‘strange’ when Bellamy publicly discusses the notorious incident where he attacked him with a golf club. Following a disagreement earlier, Bellamy infamously stormed into Riise’s hotel room and assaulted him with a golf club.
Both players scored in Liverpool’s memorable 2-1 victory at Camp Nou just days later, with Bellamy celebrating his goal with a golf swing before Riise’s late winner. The entire saga has become a significant part of Liverpool’s modern history, with their names forever linked due to the altercation 17 years ago. Both players have been repeatedly questioned about the incident over the years, with Bellamy sharing his account of the events as recently as last October. Riise has extended forgiveness to Bellamy but has made it clear that a friendship between them is off the cards, preferring to keep Bellamy out of his life.
Riise expressed his bemusement at Bellamy’s recounting of the event, highlighting that the former Liverpool forward was intoxicated at the time and implying that his version may not be entirely accurate. He acknowledges that what happened should not have occurred between two teammates, attributing it to not being in a good place in their lives mixed with alcohol. Riise mentioned that he can forgive, which he did after the incident, but emphasized that Bellamy is not a person he wants to have in his life and wishes him all the best. At the same time, Riise stated that he finds it weird when Bellamy talks about the incident on podcasts, noting that Bellamy’s version of events may not be exactly how it went.
He emphasized that despite Bellamy’s apology and acknowledgment that it shouldn’t have happened, they are not and will not be friends. Riise reflected that people make mistakes, and it’s all about apologizing and moving on, but Bellamy is not a person he needs in his life.
