John Charles

John Charles (1931–2004) was a Welsh footballer renowned for his strength, sportsmanship, and ability to play as both a centre-forward and centre-back. He starred for Leeds United, Juventus, and the Wales national team.

Connect

Bobby Collins: A Scottish footballer who captained Leeds United during its rise under Don Revie. Collins became Charles’s Leeds teammate after Charles returned from Italy.
Leeds United F.C.: An English football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Charles began his senior career there and returned after playing in Italy.
Centre-forward: An attacking football position focused on scoring goals near the centre of the pitch. Charles played as a powerful central striker for club and country.
Ballon d'Or: An annual football award presented by France Football to an outstanding player. Charles placed third in the 1959 award after his Juventus successes.
Don Revie: An English footballer and manager who led Leeds United from 1961 to 1974. Revie managed Leeds after Charles had left for Juventus.
Juventus F.C.: An Italian football club based in Turin, founded in 1897. Charles became a major star there after joining in 1957.
Centre-back: A defensive football position in which players protect the central area in front of goal. Charles also excelled in central defence, including early in his Leeds career.
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame: An institution recognizing athletes and contributors to sport in Wales. Charles’s achievements made him one of Welsh sport’s defining figures.
Giampiero Boniperti: An Italian forward who captained Juventus and later served as the club’s president. Boniperti was a Juventus teammate during Charles’s years in Turin.
Wales national football team: The men's national association football team representing Wales. Charles earned 38 caps for Wales and played in its 1958 World Cup campaign.