Injury NewsBBC SportUnverified source· 26 Sept 2026
Burns credits Bellamy backing after injury nightmare
Wes Burns says Craig Bellamy's regular calls kept his Wales career alive during almost a year out with a serious knee injury.
W. Burns
player
Player
Wes Burns
Injury
Torn anterior cruciate ligament
Club
Ipswich Town
Time out
Almost a year
What happened. Wes Burns was sidelined for almost a year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in Ipswich Town's defeat at Liverpool in January 2025. Now back with Wales for the first time in two years, he has thanked head coach Craig Bellamy for supporting him throughout his absence.
- Burns returned 11 months later, by which time Ipswich were back in the Championship.
- He said Bellamy called him every month or fortnight to check on his progress.
- The 31-year-old wants to repay that support in Wales' Nations League campaign.
“The world of football forgets you very, very fast when you're not playing.”
— Wes Burns
Burns is targeting international minutes in the Nations League after Wales' unsuccessful bid to reach the 2026 World Cup via the play-offs.
In this story
C. Bellamy
Wales
