---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course I want to keep playing; that's…"
description: "\"Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing for any footballer. But I'm looking forward to not having to put my body through the pain, I ha..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg"
---

#  Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing…

![“Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing for any footballer. But I'm looking forward to not having to put my body through the pain, I have to say.” quote by Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg)

> “Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing for any footballer. But I'm looking forward to not having to put my body through the pain, I have to say.”

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A footballer values playing but also seeks relief from physical pain, highlighting the balance between passion and health.

**In simple terms:** Love the game, but protect your body.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize health while pursuing sport.

Themes

sports health balance career longevity

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

reflective inspirational

When to use this quote

- training sessions
- rehabilitation periods
- career planning
- retirement transition

Key Concepts

injury prevention athlete welfare mental health

Questions to Reflect On

- How can athletes manage pain responsibly?
- What support systems aid recovery?

A Different Perspective

Pain can be a sign of deeper issues, not just fatigue.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Footballer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballer/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/)

## Related quotes

> [For me, the best thing about being a footballer is that indescribable feeling when you are on a pitch doing your job. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pires/for-me-the-best-thing-about-being-a-footballer-is-that-indescribable/)

[Robert Pires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pires/)

> [Only being able to watch is the hardest thing for any footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/only-being-able-to-watch-is-the-hardest-thing-for-any-footballer/)

[Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/)

> [As a footballer, you want to keep testing yourself and you also want to be playing at the biggest clubs possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemar-roofe/as-a-footballer-you-want-to-keep-testing-yourself-and-you-also-want/)

[Kemar Roofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemar-roofe/)

> [This is what you dream about as a footballer: playing with the best and against the best in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-davies/this-is-what-you-dream-about-as-a-footballer-playing-with-the-best/)

[Alphonso Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-davies/)

> [Life isn't just about football. The adventure starts when you finish, and I'm looking forward to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/life-isn-t-just-about-football-the-adventure-starts-when-you-finish/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [You don't want to be playing 36 holes on the day before a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/you-don-t-want-to-be-playing-36-holes-on-the-day-before-a-game/)

[Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/)

> [I want to be playing in the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butland/i-want-to-be-playing-in-the-premier-league/)

[Jack Butland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-butland/)

> [I want to be out there playing the game I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/i-want-to-be-out-there-playing-the-game-i-love/)

[Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/)

> [I just want to be playing! I love to play. But I think I can play in the three positions behind the striker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/i-just-want-to-be-playing-i-love-to-play-but-i-think-i-can-play-in/)

[Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/)

> [I want to keep playing at the kind of level where I'll get respect from everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pau-gasol/i-want-to-keep-playing-at-the-kind-of-level-where-i-ll-get-respect/)

[Pau Gasol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pau-gasol/)

> [DO you think I'm pretty or are you lying? do you really want me or are you playing? do you know how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kdermady/do-you-think-i-m-pretty-or-are-you-lying-do-you-really-want-me-or-are/)

Kdermady

> [I want a number one record, I want to be travelling the world, I want to be playing in front of thousands of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-grennan/i-want-a-number-one-record-i-want-to-be-travelling-the-world-i-want/)

[Thomas Grennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-grennan/)

> [I want to be out there playing just as much as everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carter-williams/i-want-to-be-out-there-playing-just-as-much-as-everybody-else/)

[Michael Carter-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-carter-williams/)

> [I want to be playing, I want to have a chance to compete for my position in the team, and I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petr-cech/i-want-to-be-playing-i-want-to-have-a-chance-to-compete-for-my/)

[Petr Cech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petr-cech/)

> [You start playing when it's cold and you want to be playing when it's cold again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimy-williams/you-start-playing-when-it-s-cold-and-you-want-to-be-playing-when-it-s/)

Jimy Williams

## More by Craig Bellamy

> [Certain players need twice the recovery time of others because they run much more - not because they put in more effort but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/certain-players-need-twice-the-recovery-time-of-others-because-they/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [All I want to do now is prove my temperament is not a problem and get people talking about my football again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/all-i-want-to-do-now-is-prove-my-temperament-is-not-a-problem-and-get/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [David Brooks - every time I see him, I like him. He breaks lines, runs beyond, and I like him a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/david-brooks-every-time-i-see-him-i-like-him-he-breaks-lines-runs/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [My brother is gay - he's a couple of years older than me, and I could not be more proud of him. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/my-brother-is-gay-he-s-a-couple-of-years-older-than-me-and-i-could/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [When I left Liverpool, my aim was to get into the top six, and I was looking for a team that could get involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/when-i-left-liverpool-my-aim-was-to-get-into-the-top-six-and-i-was/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [I joined Norwich when I was 15 and moved away from a life living on an estate in Cardiff and everything I knew. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-joined-norwich-when-i-was-15-and-moved-away-from-a-life-living-on/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [I surround myself with family. I have got the most incredible wife in the world and unbelievable kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-surround-myself-with-family-i-have-got-the-most-incredible-wife-in/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [Life isn't just about football. The adventure starts when you finish, and I'm looking forward to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/life-isn-t-just-about-football-the-adventure-starts-when-you-finish/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [I do have to pinch myself at times when I look back at some of the things I have achieved. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-do-have-to-pinch-myself-at-times-when-i-look-back-at-some-of-the/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [It's up to people to judge whether I'm a good fella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/it-s-up-to-people-to-judge-whether-i-m-a-good-fella/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [Manchester City is the richest club in the world. They work to a budget that no one else works to, so they can write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/manchester-city-is-the-richest-club-in-the-world-they-work-to-a/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [Basically, we are all chimps. The human side is at the front of our forehead, but the chimp is the part that lashes out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/basically-we-are-all-chimps-the-human-side-is-at-the-front-of-our/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [The lads I played football with on the street when I was a kid in Cardiff were as good as me, and in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/the-lads-i-played-football-with-on-the-street-when-i-was-a-kid-in/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years now, and there's more to life. I love the game, don't get me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-level-for-17-18-years-now-and/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

> [I've kept my nose clean when I've been asked to to play out of position, and I've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-ve-kept-my-nose-clean-when-i-ve-been-asked-to-to-play-out-of/)

[Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

[Explore all 67 Craig Bellamy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

Gene Scott

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

Browse all 21,674 Best quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing for any footballer. But I'm looking forward to not having to put my body through the pain, I have to say.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Craig Bellamy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s-the-best-thing-for-any/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s-the-best-thing-for-any/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/craig-bellamy-10254_best_of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s_1071887.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Of course I want to keep playing; that's the best thing for any footballer. But I'm looking forward to not…” — Craig Bellamy",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Craig Bellamy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Of course I want to keep...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s-the-best-thing-for-any/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/of-course-i-want-to-keep-playing-that-s-the-best-thing-for-any/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
