Watch: The brilliant story of how Peter Crouch learned the Welsh national anthem

It’s one of the more improbable stories you’re ever likely to hear – but it’s absolutely true. Former Liverpool and England star Peter Crouch learned to sing the Welsh national anthem before he learned the English anthem.

Crouch, who played almost 600 games for various football clubs during a glittering career including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City, as well as playing at the World Cup and the Euros for England, was born in Macclesfield, but moved with his family to Singapore at the age of one after his father got a job there.

After three years in South East Asia, the family moved back to England to live in the village of Harrow on the Hill near London.

And it was there that he was hot-housed in the Welsh national anthem thanks to a passionate Welshman at his school.

Following his retirement from the sport at the age of 38, Crouch has gone on to establish his own career in television.

Married to Abbey Clancy since 2011, the two have now set up a podcast called The Therapy Crouch.

Speaking in the latest episode, Crouch sings a bit of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and explains how he learned it.

“Because I had a Welsh headmaster who made us learn the national anthem of Wales,” he said.

“I knew that before the England anthem!

“We are all English in an English school and Mr Evans made the whole school learn the national anthem of Wales.”

His wife, Abbey Clancy, said: “I think that’s a good thing.”

Crouch added: “Fair play to him, and it’s something I’ve never forgotten.

“Obviously, there will be many Welsh people who will listen to this and say that it is not correct in terms of dialect at all, but I still remember the anthem.”

Listen to Peter Crouch singing the anthem 8mins 52secs, into the podcast HERE