And in doing so after the shattering 2-0 defeat to Finland in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, the 29-year-old put into words the pain and hurt felt by generations of Welsh players and fans.

Eventually the desperate, bitter disappointment takes a toll on the very best players who would figure regularly on the world stage with bigger nations.

Now another qualifying campaign bites the dust like every other one has done for the last 51 years.

Bellamy wears his heart on his sleeve, he plays for his country when he is not fit and shows all the passion and desire expected of the nation's captain.

But his outburst after this Group 4 defeat, to goals from Jonatan Johansson and Shefki Kuqi, summed up another distressing day for Welsh football.

He said: "It's all over, the qualifying group. I don't want to sound bitter but from what I saw in this match, it is all over for both sides.

"Neither of us are going to qualify, that was quite evident from what everyone saw out there.

"Russia and Germany are far too good, they have far too much quality for us. And it is the same old situation, it is all about pride now and getting as many points as you can.

"It is the same old story, and that is what is so disappointing. Where we go from here, God knows."

Next up, though, is a home clash with the might of Germany on Wednesday in the same stadium, where the boos of 22,000 hardy souls echoed around the cavernous 74,000-capacity stadium.

He added: "They were there to be beaten, they were not a good side but then neither are we.

"OK, so people say there is promise in the side. But promise means nothing if you don't go on and achieve something.

"Everyone reckoned that the Leeds team of eight years ago would go on to win the title, promise means nothing.

"We may be a good team in a few years time, but you really have to do it here and now."

Bellamy insists his outburst is not a prelude to yet another senior player retiring from Welsh football, but he added: "It's tough now. We have Germany next and that will be hard, but we just have to do as well as we can.

"Obviously we are not going to qualify so we have to get as many points as we can. It's just disappointing that we are in the same old situation again.

"I would like to look at things now and say that I have a UEFA Cup quarter-final with my club, Manchester City, and I should concentrate on that.

"But at the moment I am lost, you get more knocks with Wales and it is something I have grown up with.

"The disappointment is always there and we are not going to do anything in this campaign, so I have to dust myself down and get on with it in the next one."

Bellamy spent most of the game battling against former team-mate Sami Hyypia to little avail.

He said: "We just were not quick enough. We didn't use the ball quickly and we let them get men back behind the ball.

"We didn't get good enough ball into the box where they had tall defenders, and we played to their strengths and fell into the trap.

"It wasn't a good side that beat us, and the group table will eventually show that. We will both end up about the same, but now we are just left trying to improve our seeding over the next few games.

"There are many great Wales players who have failed to qualify for a major finals. But I am not in that category, I'm far from great, I am a decent player but there are many better players than me who have been in this position with Wales and I feel for them. I will certainly not be in that bracket.

"Who would have said a year ago that I would be about to get the biggest move of my career to Manchester City. I just have to get on with it and keep trying for my country, I'm not going to pack it in."