CRAIG BELLAMY intends to savour every moment of his Olympic experience, and is enjoying life in the athletes’ village with the Team GB men’s football squad.

The 33 year-old Liverpool forward feels his selection as one of three over-age players in Stuart Pearce’s 18-man squad is the reward for a fine career which has included successful spells at Manchester City, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers and Celtic, as well as 69 caps for Wales.

“When you look at the players who were short-listed to be part of this, it’s an incredible achievement to be selected,” he said. “It’s also a testament to where I’ve been in my career.”

The Premier League stars of the men’s squad are unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of the Olympic Village, but Bellamy says it is an experience that he and his team-mates are thoroughly enjoying.

“It is a lot different to what we are used to football-wise,” Bellamy admitted. “In the Premier League we are kept away from all that sort of thing.

“Here, you have to be a lot more patient. You eat with every single other athlete. But it all adds to your experience.

“I just want to embrace this and every moment of it. It is something I am going to cherish for the rest of my life.”

Stuart Pearce’s side face Senegal in their opening match at Old Trafford next Thursday, and Everton’s French-born forward Magaye Gueye could be lining up against them after opting to represent his parents’ country.

The 21 year-old has not yet been capped for the Senegal senior side, but is looking forward to participating in the Olympics.

“Everybody will watch the Olympics,” he said. “It’s an occasion to show my football, and to show that Senegal can be a great team.”

And despite a tough group in which the West African side also face Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates, Gueye is already dreaming of emulating Goodison team-mate Victor Anichebe, a bronze medallist with Nigeria at the 2008 Games in Beijing.

“It would mean a lot to pick up a medal,” he said. “It’s my first competition and my first with Senegal so it means a lot to me.”

Liverpool’s Luis Suárez will lead Uruguay out for their opening fixture against the UAE at Old Trafford, having been selected as captain. It will be the livewire forward’s first visit to the stadium since the controversy surrounding his non-handshake with Patrice Evra before the Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool in February.

25 year-old Suárez is one of three over-age players in the squad, which also features the Reds’ 21 year-old centre-back Sebastián Coates.

Coates made only 12 appearances in his debut season at Anfield following his £7m transfer from boyhood club Nacional last August, but is not short of tournament experience, having been part of Uruguay’s 2011 Copa América winning side, and looks set to be a fixture in the Olympic team alongside Suárez.