Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has revealed Craig Bellamy was the most difficult player to referee.
The 43-year-old left the Premier League to take up a role with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. He spent 13 years as a top-flight official and also took charge of the Euro 2016 final and Champions League final in the same year. Clattenburg has officiated some of the biggest names in the game but insists former Wales star Bellamy was the most difficult.
The match official even once asked the City bench how they manage to work with the striker, such was his character. “I was just being honest! He was the hardest player I ever had to referee, he always had a bloody answer,” he said.
Bellamy also had spells with Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester City among others – and regularly caused problems for the likes of Clattenburg.