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{{Short description|Welsh footballer (1931–2004)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Charles<br/><small>[[Order of the British Empire|CBE]]</small>
| image = John Charles, Wales versus Scotland, Ninian Park, 1954.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Charles with [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in 1954
| fullname = William John Charles
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1931|12|27}}<ref>{{harvnb|Charles|2009|p=26}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Swansea]], Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2004|2|21|1931|12|27}}
| death_place = [[Wakefield]], England
| height = {{convert|1.88|m|order=flip}}
| position = [[Centre-forward]], [[centre-back]]
| youthyears1 = 1946–1948
| youthclubs1 = [[Swansea City A.F.C. Under-23s|Swansea Town]]
| youthyears2 = 1948–1949
| youthclubs2 = [[Leeds United F.C. Reserves and Youth Team|Leeds United]]
| years1 = 1949–1957
| clubs1 = [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]]
| caps1 = 297
| goals1 = 157
| years2 = 1957–1962
| clubs2 = [[Juventus FC|Juventus]]
| caps2 = 155
| goals2 = 108
| years3 = 1962
| clubs3 = [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]]
| caps3 = 11
| goals3 = 3
| years4 = 1962–1963
| clubs4 = [[A.S. Roma|Roma]]
| caps4 = 10
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 1963–1966
| clubs5 = [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]
| caps5 = 69
| goals5 = 18
| years6 = 1966–1971
| clubs6 = [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]]
| caps6 = 173
| goals6 = 80
| years7 = 1972–1974
| clubs7 = [[Merthyr Tydfil F.C.|Merthyr Tydfil]]
| totalcaps = 715
| totalgoals = 370
| nationalyears1 = 1950–1965
| nationalteam1 = [[Wales national football team|Wales]]
| nationalcaps1 = 38
| nationalgoals1 = 15
| manageryears1 = 1967–1971
| managerclubs1 = [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]] ([[player-manager]])
| manageryears2 = 1972–1974
| managerclubs2 = [[Merthyr Tydfil F.C.|Merthyr Tydfil]] ([[player-manager]])
| manageryears3 = 1987
| managerclubs3 = [[Hamilton Steelers (CSL)|Hamilton Steelers]]
}}
''' William John Charles''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE}} (27 December 1931 – 21 February 2004) was a Welsh [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[centre-forward]] or as a [[centre-back]]. Best known for his time at [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] and [[Juventus FC|Juventus]], he was rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from the British Isles.<ref name=IFHOF>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifhof.com/hof/charles.asp|title=JOHN CHARLES – International Football Hall of Fame}}</ref> Charles is sometimes considered to be one of the greatest footballers in history.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.90min.com/posts/50-greatest-footballers-all-time-ranked |title= The 50 greatest footballers of all time |access-date=26 April 2023|publisher=[[90min]] |date=13 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://90soccer.com/part-3-the-greatest-players-in-history/|title= Part 3: Greatest footballers in history |author=Ken Salmon|publisher=90soccer|date=25 March 2025}}</ref>

John Charles began his career at Leeds United, having moved there in 1949 from his hometown club, [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea Town]]. He was equally adept as a defender or a forward, due to his strength, pace, technique, vision, ability in the air and eye for goal.<ref name=ilpalloneracconta>{{cite web|url=http://ilpalloneracconta.blogspot.ca/2007/12/john-william-charles.html|title=John William CHARLES|publisher=Il Pallone Racconta|language=it|access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref><ref name=tuttojuve>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttojuve.com/gli-eroi-bianconeri/gli-eroi-in-bianconero-john-charles-265117|title=Gli eroi in bianconero: John CHARLES|publisher=TuttoJuve.com|language=it|first=Stefano|last=Bedeschi|date=24 December 2015|access-date=22 August 2016}}</ref> After returning from his National Service in 1952, Charles began to be used more often as a forward, and he was the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]'s top scorer in 1954. The following year, he was named club captain; in his first season as captain, he led the club to second place and promotion. Charles ended the 1956–57 season as the [[Football League First Division|First Division]]'s top scorer and an eighth-place finish for Leeds. In the summer of 1957, Charles joined Juventus, where he partnered [[Giampiero Boniperti]] and [[Omar Sívori]], with the trio becoming known as ''The Holy Trident''. In his five seasons with the club, he won the ''[[Serie A|scudetto]]'' three times and the [[Coppa Italia]] twice; he was also the ''[[capocannoniere]]'' winner for the 1957–58 season. In 1962, Charles returned to Leeds, but his time there proved unsuccessful as he was accustomed to the style of play in Italy, and by the end of the year, he had joined [[A.S. Roma|Roma]]. Charles moved back to his native country to play for [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]], and ended his career in non-league football in player-manager roles at [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]] and [[Merthyr Tydfil F.C.|Merthyr Tydfil]]. He was never [[Misconduct (football)|cautioned]] nor [[Ejection (sports)#Association football|sent off]] during his entire career,<ref name=BBC2010-06-16 /> owing to his philosophy of never kicking nor intentionally hurting opposing players. This led to the nickname he acquired while playing for Juventus, ''Il Gigante Buono'' (The Gentle Giant).<ref name=tuttojuve/> In 1998, he was included in the [[Football League 100 Legends]], and in 2002, he was one of the inaugural inductees to the [[English Football Hall of Fame|Football Hall of Fame]].

He played for the [[Wales national football team|Welsh national team]] over fifteen years, from 1950 to 1965. Alongside his brother, [[Mel Charles]], he was a member of the Welsh squad at the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]]. At the tournament, he scored in a 1–1 draw with [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]], but he was injured in a play-off match against the same opposition. Ruled out of the quarter-final against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]], Wales lost the match 1–0, with [[Pelé]] scoring the winner. Wales manager [[Jimmy Murphy (footballer)|Jimmy Murphy]] opined that had Charles been fit, Wales might have won the match.

For its 50th anniversary in 2004, [[UEFA]] asked each of its then 52 member associations to nominate one player as the single most outstanding player of the period 1954–2003, and Charles was chosen as the [[UEFA Jubilee Awards|Golden Player]] of Wales by its [[Football Association of Wales|national association]] in November 2003.

==Early career==
Charles was born in the [[Cwmbwrla]] district of [[Swansea]] during late 1931. Charles would play football as a child, with younger brother [[Mel Charles]] who also went on to become a professional, later playing alongside each other for the Welsh national team.<ref>[http://www.royoftherovers.com/halloffame/charles.htm RoyoftheRovers.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106142154/http://www.royoftherovers.com/halloffame/charles.htm |date= 6 January 2007 }}</ref> The brothers grew up on Alice Street in Swansea, being neighbours of fellow future Welsh internationals [[Ernie Jones (footballer, born 1920)|Ernie Jones]], [[Mel Nurse]], and [[Jackie Roberts]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67451067|title=Football: How Alice Street in Swansea gave Wales five internationals|date=18 November 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

While still at school, Charles joined the boys section of the local team Swansea Town, who later became [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]]. When he left school at age 14 he was taken onto the groundstaff at [[Vetch Field]], yet because of his young age [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] Swansea never gave him a first-team call up. His only senior appearances came for the reserve side in the [[Welsh Football League]].

==Club career==
===Leeds United===
While playing for Gendros, a local youth club, he was scouted by [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] and given a trial in September 1948. At his trial he impressed and duly signed for them at the age of 17, relocating to [[Yorkshire]].

Then manager of Leeds United, [[Frank Buckley (footballer)|Major Buckley]], selected Charles in a variety of positions including right-back, centre-half and left-half for Leeds Reserves. Charles made his first team debut as a centre back for Leeds in a friendly versus [[Dumfries]] club [[Queen of the South F.C.|Queen of the South]] on 19 April 1949. Charles was tasked with marking the incumbent [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] centre forward [[Billy Houliston]], who ten days previously at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]], had run the England defence ragged as the Scots won 3–1. The score at Elland Road was 0–0. After the game, Houliston said 17-year-old Charles was "the best centre half I've ever played against".<ref name=QoS /> Charles made his league debut against Blackburn Rovers also in April 1949, playing at centre-half. From 1950 until 1952, Charles was away on National Service with the 12th Royal Lancers at Carlisle. The army allowed him to turn out for Leeds, but also saw to it that he played for them, and in 1952, Charles skippered his side to the Army Cup. It was during this period that he had operations to repair cartilages in both knees.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/john-charles/king-john/9781472227027/|last=Charles |first=John |author-link=John Charles |title=King John |publisher=Headline |year=2004 |location=London|isbn=0-7553-1209-0 |page=79}}</ref>

After his return to the Leeds side in November 1951, Charles played at centre-forward and centre half. This prompted a debate as to where Charles should play in the team, but he remained at centre-half until the 1952–53 season. In October 1952, he was switched to centre forward and immediately started to score, with 11 goals in 6 games. In 1955, he was appointed club captain and during the 1955–56 season, Leeds won promotion to the First Division. Charles was in sparkling form, scoring 29 goals in 42 appearances. In the following season, Charles scored a new club top flight record tally of 38 goals in 40 league appearances as Leeds secured an 8th-place finish in the first division, before finally moving away from the club. His influence on Leeds' success during his final season was so strong, reporters nicknamed the club "John Charles United".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/archie-gibson-tenacious-midfielder-for-leeds-united-8076917.html | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Archie Gibson: Tenacious midfielder for Leeds United | date=24 August 2012}}</ref> In total, he scored 150 league goals in eight years for Leeds, including a club record 42 goals in 39 appearances during the 1953–54 season. He remains the second highest all time goal scorer for Leeds after [[Peter Lorimer]].

===Juventus===
[[File:1957–58 Juventus FC - Sívori, Charles and Boniperti.jpg|thumb|right|The Holy Trident: Charles with [[Omar Sívori|Sívori]] and [[Giampiero Boniperti|Boniperti]] at Juventus]]
In August 1957, he joined the Italian club [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] for a then British record £65,000 transfer fee, almost doubling the previous record. The transfer was notable as Charles became one of the first British professional players to be signed for an overseas team after [[John Fox Watson]] led the way moving from [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] to [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] in 1948.<ref name=tuttojuve/>

His debut came on 8 September 1957 against [[Hellas Verona F.C.|Hellas Verona]]. Goals from [[Giampiero Boniperti]] and [[Omar Sívori]] had made the score 2–2, when up popped Charles to score the winner. The following week, he scored the only goal in the victory over [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]], and he then hit the decisive strike in a 3–2 victory over [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]]. He had been the match-winner in his first three games.<ref name=tuttojuve/>

[[File:1957–58 Serie A - AC Verona v Juventus FC - John Charles.jpg|thumb|left|January 26, 1958. A.C. Verona — [[Juventus FC]] 2–3, Matchday 18 of the [[1957–58 Serie A]]. Juventus striker [[John Charles]] (center) in action versus Verona's defence.]]

In his first season in Italy, Charles was [[Capocannoniere|Serie A's top scorer]] with 28 goals, and was voted player of the season as Juventus won the ''[[scudetto]]''. He played in [[Turin]] for five years, scoring 108 goals in 155 matches, winning the ''scudetto'' ([[Serie A|Italian league championship]]) three times, and the [[Coppa Italia]] twice. He placed third in the [[Ballon d'Or]] in [[1959 Ballon d'Or|1959]], the highest position for a Welsh footballer. His prolific partnership with Sívori and Boniperti in Juventus's front-line earned the trio the nicknames ''The Holy Trident'' and ''The Magical Trio''; Charles was also dubbed ''Il Gigante Buono'' (The Gentle Giant) during his five seasons with the club, due to his size and fair play.<ref name=tuttojuve/> The respect Charles earned from Juventus fans was shown when, on the occasion of the club's centenary in 1997, they voted him the club's best-ever foreign player.<ref>[http://archive.theoxfordtimes.net/2004/2/24/14286.html Oxford Times, 24 February 2004] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228032635/http://archive.theoxfordtimes.net/2004/2/24/14286.html |date=28 December 2008 }}</ref>

===Return to Leeds United===
Following his time at Juventus, [[Don Revie]] paid a club record £53,000 to secure the return of Charles to Yorkshire. As a result of the excitement this created, Leeds United raised admission prices for the start of the 1962–63 season. Charles second spell at Elland Road was less successful. After five years in Italy, he found it difficult to adjust to life and football back in Britain.

===Roma===
After 11 games and three goals – a shadow of his former strike rate – Charles was sold for £70,000 to [[A.S. Roma|Roma]]. Initially, the move was a success and Charles scored within fifteen minutes of his first game for Roma, in a match against Bologna. The early promise was never fulfilled, however, and Charles was on the move again a year later.

===Later career===
He left to join [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] where he stayed until 1966, which marked the end of his league career. He later became manager of [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]], [[Merthyr Tydfil F.C.|Merthyr Tydfil]] and the [[Swansea City A.F.C. Under-23s|Swansea City]] youth team, and technical director of the Canadian team [[Hamilton Steelers (CSL)|Hamilton Steelers]], whom he became coach of midway through the 1987 season.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s12-CHAR-JOH-1931#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=1&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F1463982%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=308%2C1146%2C2952%2C2553|title=CHARLES, WILLIAM JOHN (1931 - 2004), footballer|publisher=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|accessdate=2 June 2021}}</ref>

==International career==
Charles first played for the [[Wales national football team|Welsh national team]] shortly after his 18th birthday.

He played for Wales at the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]] in Sweden – the first time the nation qualified for the competition. It was also [[National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup|the only time]] all four of the [[Home Nations]] qualified for the same World Cup, though only Wales and [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] made it past the group stage.<ref>{{harvnb|Charles|2009|p=14}}</ref> Wales remained undefeated in the group stage, battling to draws with [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]] (thanks to a Charles goal), [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]], and eventual runners-up [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]]. As Hungary also recorded three points, a play-off match ensued, and Wales came from behind at the [[Råsunda Stadium]] to advance with a 2–1 win; however, Charles was injured in the match and missed out on the rest of the tournament. Wales were eventually knocked out by [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] in the quarter-finals thanks to a goal by [[Pelé]] in the 66th minute: the Brazilians went on to [[1958 FIFA World Cup Final|win the competition]]. Wales manager [[Jimmy Murphy (footballer)|Jimmy Murphy]] said that "with John Charles in the side we might have won".<ref>{{harvnb|Charles|2009|p=18}}</ref>

In total for Wales, Charles made 38 appearances and scored 15 goals.

Charles played for the [[United Kingdom national football team|Great Britain]] team against Ireland in 1955.

==Player profile==
===Style of play===
Regarded as one of the greatest British footballers of all-time,<ref name=IFHOF/> Charles was a versatile footballer who was capable of playing both as a [[centre-forward]] and as a [[centre-back]]. As a [[striker (association football)|striker]], he was renowned for being a prolific goalscorer, as he was capable of scoring with either foot, courtesy of his powerful and accurate shot; due to his height, physique, and strength, as well as his heading power and accuracy, he also excelled in the air, which made him an aerial goal threat. Despite his size, he was also a fast player, with good technical skills and passing ability, which allowed him both to score and create goals. In addition to his ability, he was also known for his correct behaviour on the pitch, which along with his stature, earned him the nickname ''Il Gigante Buono'' (The Gentle Giant).<ref name=ilpalloneracconta/><ref name=tuttojuve/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calciomercato.com/news/pavoletti-e-i-grandi-specialisti-di-testa-dell-italia-e-del-mond-85255 |title=Pavoletti e i grandi specialisti di testa dell'Italia e del mondo |publisher=www.calciomercato.com |first=Furio |last=Zara |language=it |date=15 May 2018 |access-date=1 May 2019 }}</ref>

===Legacy===
In the foreword for Charles' autobiography, [[Bobby Robson|Sir Bobby Robson]] described him as "incomparable" and classed him among the all-time footballing greats such as [[Pelé]], [[Diego Maradona]] and [[George Best]], saying "Incomparable. John wasn't only one of the greatest footballers who ever lived. He was one of the greatest men ever to play the game."<ref name="page 11">{{harvnb|Charles|2009|p=11}}</ref> He also noted that Charles is the only footballing great to be world class in two very different positions. [[Giampiero Boniperti]], the captain of [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] when Charles had joined the ''Bianconeri'', spoke of the Welshman's nature as a person: "I would say he was from another world because of his human qualities. John was one of the most loyal and honest people I have ever met, a very special person. He managed to keep the whole team united, and any quarrels or arguments quietened down as soon as he appeared on the pitch or in the dressing room."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/02/12/remembering-il-gigante-buono-john-charles-aaron-ramsey-follows-welsh-legends-path-juventus|title=Remembering 'Il Gigante Buono' John Charles as Aaron Ramsey Follows Welsh Legend's Path to Juventus|work=Sports Illustrated|date=19 February 2019|accessdate=2 June 2021}}</ref> [[Jack Charlton]] said of his former teammate, "John Charles was a team unto himself. People often say to me, 'Who was the best player you ever saw?', and I answer that it was probably [[Eusébio]], [[Alfredo Di Stéfano|Di Stéfano]], [[Johan Cruyff|Cruyff]], Pelé or [[Bobby Charlton|our Bob]]. But the most effective player I ever saw, the one that made the most difference to the performance of the whole team, was without question John Charles."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/news/wales-and-juve-s-gentle-giant|title=Wales and Juve's gentle giant|publisher=FIFA.com|date=21 February 2019|accessdate=2 June 2021}}</ref> Charles' sporting behaviour led international referee [[Clive Thomas (football)|Clive Thomas]] to say "If you had 22 players of John's calibre, there would be no need for referees – only time-keepers."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/3640563.stm|title=Fond farewell for legend Charles|publisher=BBC News|date=19 April 2004|access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref>

In 1998, the [[Football League]], as part of its centenary season celebrations, included Charles on its list of [[Football League 100 Legends|100 League Legends]]. In 2002, Charles became an inaugural inductee to the [[English Football Hall of Fame]]. On 29 November 2003, to celebrate [[UEFA]]'s Jubilee, he was selected as the [[UEFA Jubilee Awards|Golden Player]] of Wales by the [[Football Association of Wales]] as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Golden Players take centre stage |website=Europe's Football Website (UEFA.com) |year=2003 |url=http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=256/newsId=130150.html |access-date=13 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312203128/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind%3D256/newsId%3D130150.html |archive-date=12 March 2004}}</ref> In 2004, Charles was voted at number&nbsp;19 in the ''[[100 Welsh Heroes]]'' poll.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The top 100 in the Welsh Heroes list.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+top+100+in+the+Welsh+Heroes+list.-a0113808511|newspaper=[[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]]|publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]]|location=Cardiff|date=2 March 2004|accessdate=7 May 2013}}</ref> On 7 March 2018, Charles had one of [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]'s [[British Rail Class 800|Intercity Express Trains]] named after him.<ref>{{cite news |title=John Charles honoured by Great Western Railway |website=Juventus.com |url=http://www.juventus.com/en/news/news/2018/john-charles-honoured-by-great-western-railway.php |access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref> In August 2019, a social housing complex named "Clos John Charles" was opened on the site of a former primary school in [[Cwmbwrla]], [[Swansea]].

The John Charles Lounge in [[Aberystwyth Town F.C.|Aberystwyth Town]]'s ground is named after Charles. The [[John Charles Centre for Sport]] in [[Leeds]] is named after Charles. The West stand at [[Elland Road]] is named "The John Charles Stand" and the entrance lobby to the Banqueting Suite attached to the back of the stand contains a bust of Charles, in memory of all he did for the club.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Charles honoured |website=Leeds United Football Club |type=official website |year=2006 |url=http://www.leedsunited.com/page/NewsroomDetail/0,,10273~879973,00.html |access-date=10 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929104835/http://www.leedsunited.com/page/NewsroomDetail/0,,10273~879973,00.html |archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> A street near Elland Road in the [[Wortley, West Yorkshire|Lower Wortley]] area of Leeds is named John Charles Way.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Charles Way, Leeds LS12, United Kingdom |id=53°.78093&nbsp;N, 1°.58116&nbsp;W |website=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/search/John+Charles+Way,+Leeds+LS12,+United+Kingdom/@53.78093,-1.58116,19z/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&dg=dbrw&newdg=1}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Charles was married twice during his life. In 1953, he married Margaret "Peggy" White; the couple had four sons together. They divorced in 1982. In 1988, Charles married Glenda Vero, whom he remained married to until his death in 2004.<ref name="bio"/> The Charles name continued in football through nephew [[Jeremy Charles]], who also represented Wales, and grandson [[Jake Charles]], who has represented Wales at youth level.

Following his retirement from football, Charles became the landlord of the New Inn public house on Elland Road, [[Churwell]], [[Leeds]] which later was also managed by another Leeds United player and Wales international, [[Byron Stevenson]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Keating |first=Frank |title=Frank Keating interviews Leeds legend John Charles |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 December 2001 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/dec/24/newsstory.sport2 |access-date=11 August 2009 |location=London, UK}}</ref> On 16 June 2001, as part of [[2001 Birthday Honours|that year]]'s [[Queen's Birthday Honours]], he was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] "for services to Association Football".<ref name="LG 16 June 2001">{{London Gazette |issue=56237 |date=16 June 2001 |pages=7–8 |supp=y}}</ref> Until shortly before his death he continued to attend every Leeds United home game. In 2002, he was made a [[vice-president]] of the [[Football Association of Wales]], and in 2003, he was granted the freedom of the city of [[Swansea]]. There was a campaign to knight Charles,<ref>{{cite news |title=Campaign to knight John Charles |date=15 November 2000 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/1023917.stm |website=BBC News}}</ref> but it never came to fruition.

In January 2004, he suffered a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] shortly before an interview for Italian television, and required the partial amputation of one foot for circulation reasons before he was returned to Britain. He died in Pinderfields Hospital, [[Wakefield]], [[West Yorkshire]], early on 21 February 2004. His widow, Glenda, bequeathed his ashes to the city of Swansea.<ref>{{harvnb|Charles|2009|p=12}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=John Charles|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/19874/John_Charles.html|access-date=2021-09-01|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Leeds United F.C. History|url=http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/1949-1957.php|access-date=2021-09-01|website=www.ozwhitelufc.net.au}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Season
! colspan="3" |League
! colspan="2" |National cup{{efn|Includes [[FA Cup]] and [[Coppa Italia]].}}
! colspan="2" |[[European Cup]]
! colspan="2" |Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
| rowspan="10" |[[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]]
|[[1948–49 Football League|1948-49]]
| rowspan="8" |[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|3
|0
|0
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|3
|0
|-
|[[1949–50 Football League|1949–50]]
|42
|1
|5
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|47
|1
|-
|[[1950–51 Football League|1950–51]]
|34
|3
|2
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|36
|3
|-
|[[1951–52 Football League|1951–52]]
|18
|0
|5
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|23
|0
|-
|[[1952–53 Football League|1952–53]]
|40
|26
|1
|1
| colspan="2" |—
|41
|27
|-
|[[1953–54 Football League|1953–54]]
|39
|42
|2
|1
| colspan="2" |—
|41
|43
|-
|[[1954–55 Football League|1954–55]]
|40
|11
|2
|1
| colspan="2" |—
|42
|12
|-
|[[1955–56 Football League|1955–56]]
|42
|29
|1
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|43
|29
|-
|[[1956–57 Football League|1956–57]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|40
|38
|1
|1
| colspan="2" |—
|41
|39
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!298
!150
!19
!4
! colspan="2" |—
!317
!154
|-
| rowspan="6" |[[Juventus FC|Juventus]]
|[[1957–58 Juventus FC season|1957–58]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Serie A]]
|34
|28
|4
|1
| colspan="2" |—
|38
|29
|-
|[[1958–59 Serie A|1958–59]]
|30
|19
|4
|5
|2
|0
|36
|24
|-
|[[1959–60 Juventus FC season|1959–60]]
|34
|23
|3
|3
| colspan="2" |—
|37
|26
|-
|[[1960–61 Juventus FC season|1960–61]]
|32
|15
|3
|1
|2
|0
|37
|16
|-
|[[1961–62 Serie A|1961–62]]
|21
|8
|4
|2
|6
|0
|31
|10
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!151
!93
!18
!12
!10
!0
!179
!105
|-
|Leeds United
|[[1962–63 Football League|1962–63]]
|Second Division
|11
|3
|0
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|11
|3
|-
|[[A.S. Roma|Roma]]
|[[1962–63 Serie A|1962–63]]
|Serie A
|10
|4
|3
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|13
|4
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]
|[[1963–64 Football League|1963–64]]
| rowspan="3" |Second Division
|33
|11
|1
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|34
|11
|-
|[[1964–65 Football League|1964–65]]
|28
|3
|1
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|29
|3
|-
|[[1965–66 Football League|1965–66]]
|7
|4
|2
|0
| colspan="2" |—
|9
|4
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!68
!18
!4
!0
! colspan="2" |—
!72
!18
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!538
!268
!44
!16
!10
!0
!592
!284
|}
{{notelist}}

==Honours==
'''Leeds United'''
*[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] runners-up: [[1955–56 Football League#Second Division|1955–56]]

'''Juventus'''
*[[Serie A]]:<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=William John Charles – "The Gentle Giant" |url=http://soccermond.com/players/c/charles_john/charles_john_page.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304130420/http://soccermond.com/players/c/charles_john/charles_john_page.php |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=12 July 2014 |publisher=soccermond.com}}</ref> [[1957–58 Serie A|1957–58]], [[1959–60 Serie A|1959–60]], [[1960–61 Serie A|1960–61]]
*[[Coppa Italia]]:<ref name=":0" /> [[1958–59 Coppa Italia|1958–59]], [[1959–60 Coppa Italia|1959–60]]

'''Cardiff City'''
*[[Welsh Cup]]:<ref name=":0" /> [[1963–64 Welsh Cup|1963–64]], [[1964–65 Welsh Cup|1964–65]]

'''Wales'''
*[[British Home Championship]]: [[1959–60 British Home Championship|1959–60]]; runners-up: [[1960–61 British Home Championship|1960–61]], [[1961–62 British Home Championship|1961–62]]
*[[FIFA World Cup]] quarter-finalist: [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Football League First Division|English First Division]] top goalscorer: [[1956–57 Football League#First Division|1956–57]]
* ''[[Capocannoniere]]'': [[1957–58 Serie A|1957–58]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italtops.html |title=Italy – Serie A Top Scorers |author1=Roberto Di Maggio |author2=Igor Kramarsic |author3=Alberto Novello |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=2 December 2015 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031163443/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/italtops.html |archive-date=31 October 2015 }}</ref>
*[[Corriere dello Sport|''Corriere dello Sport'' Serie A Team of The Year]]: 1958,<ref>{{cite web |title=Corriere dello Sport (29 May 1958) |url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?/?q=node/?q=node/6&f=12028&p=1&c=1#page/3/mode/1up |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=Biblioteca dello Sport}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> 1960<ref>{{cite web |title=Corriere dello Sport 1960 (8 June 1960) |url=http://dlib.coninet.it/bookreader.php?/?q=node/?q=node/6&f=6437&p=1&c=1#page/1/mode/1up |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=Biblioteca dello Sport}}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or]]: third place: [[1959 Ballon d'Or|1959]];<ref name=":0" /> nominated: [[1960 Ballon d'Or|1960]], [[1961 Ballon d'Or|1961]], [[1962 Ballon d'Or|1962]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy.html|title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or")|author1=Rob Moore|author2=Karel Stokkermans|date=21 January 2011|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>
* [[UEFA Jubilee Awards|UEFA Golden Player]]: Wales
* [[English Football Hall of Fame]]: 2002
*[[Juventus FC Hall of Fame]]: 2025<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 September 2025 |title=Juventus creates its Hall of Fame - Juventus |url=https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/juventus-creates-its-hall-of-fame |access-date=10 September 2025 |website=Juventus.com |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=QoS>{{Cite web
  | last = McLean
  | first = Kirk
  | title = Billy Houliston profile
  | publisher = [[Queen of the South F.C.]]
  | url = http://www.qosfc.com/new_legendsview.aspx?playerid=1047
  | access-date = 28 May 2011
  | archive-date = 29 June 2015
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150629045730/http://www.qosfc.com/new_legendsview.aspx?playerid=1047
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>
<ref name=BBC2010-06-16>
{{cite news
  | title = Footballer John Charles' Italian medal auctioned
  | work = [[BBC News Online]]
  | date = 16 June 2010
| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10324664
  | access-date = 1 November 2010}}
</ref>
<!--ref name=BBC2004-02-24>
{{cite news
  | title = John Charles dies
  | work = [[BBC News Online]]
  | date = 24 February 2004
| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3488975.stm
  | access-date = 28 May 2011
| quote = He was quick, he was strong, he could run with the ball. He was half the team in himself. He was tremendous.
}}
</ref-->

<!--ref name=BBC2004-02-24B>
{{cite news
  | title = PERFECT TRIBUTE TO GENTLE GIANT – (Gomersal Park Hotel)
  | publisher = [[Spenborough Guardian]]
  | date = 29 July 2004
| url = http://www.spenboroughguardian.co.uk/news/local/perfect_tribute_to_gentle_giant_1_1487191
  | access-date = 25 October 2011
| quote = It was a night of celebration and memories on Tuesday when famous faces joined the people of Spen at a sportsmen's dinner to remember the football legend John Charles.
}}
</ref-->

<!--ref name=Guardian2008-10-22>
{{cite news
  | title = Hail the masterly jacks of all trades
  | newspaper = [[The Guardian]]
  | date = 22 October 2008
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/oct/22/premierleague
  | access-date = 28 May 2011
| quote = John Charles: according to Nat Lofthouse, he was the best defender; for Billy Wright, the finest striker he had ever seen.
  | location=London
  | first=Rob
  | last=Bagchi
}}
</ref-->
}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|first=Mario |last=Risoli|title=John Charles, Gentle Giant|publisher=Mainstream Publishing |year=2003|isbn= 978-1-84018-802-8}}
* {{cite book|first=Richard |last=Coomber |title=King John, the true story of John Charles, Leeds United Legend|publisher=Leeds United Publishing|year= 2000|isbn= 978-1-903415-00-9}}
*{{cite book|last1=Charles|first1=Mel|first2=Colin |last2=Leslie|title=In the Shadow of a Giant|publisher=[[John Blake (journalist)|John Blake Publishing]]|year=2009|isbn=978-1-84454-776-0|ref={{harvid|Charles|2009}}}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/john-charles/ English Football Hall of Fame Profile]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080214220110/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/history/associationweeks/association=144/newsid=256317.html UEFA.com – Wales' Golden Player]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060516015807/http://www.leedsunited.com/article.asp?article=187383&title=John+Charles+1931-2004&navlid=Club+Information+and+History John Charles – A True Leeds United Legend] – LeedsUnited.com
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929132005/http://silverfox.infopop.cc/charles.htm Leeds United Fan Club – John Charles]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090115110427/http://walesvideogallery.org/archive.php?category=5&video=93 John Charles at the Wales Video Gallery]}}
*[http://www.spenboroughguardian.co.uk/news/local/perfect_tribute_to_gentle_giant_1_1487191 Tribute at Gomersal Park Hotel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402052115/http://www.spenboroughguardian.co.uk/news/local/perfect_tribute_to_gentle_giant_1_1487191 |date=2 April 2012 }}
*[https://www.doingthe92.com/display_player_cards.asp?step=441&ID=1&pid=5791 Football cards featuring John Charles]

{{Navboxes
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|list1=
{{English First Division top scorers}}
{{English Second Division top scorers}}
{{Serie A top scorers}}
{{Coppa Italia top scorers}}
{{UEFA Jubilee Awards}}
{{Football League 100 Legends}}
{{English Football Hall of Fame}}
{{Juventus FC Hall of Fame}}
}}
{{Wales squad 1958 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Hereford United F.C. managers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, John}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Welsh men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football utility players]]
[[Category:Men's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:UEFA Golden Players]]
[[Category:Wales men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1958 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:First Division/Premier League top scorers]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Serie A players]]
[[Category:Leeds United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Juventus FC players]]
[[Category:AS Roma players]]
[[Category:Cardiff City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hereford United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Merthyr Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Welsh football managers]]
[[Category:Hereford United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Merthyr Tydfil F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Footballers from Swansea]]
[[Category:Welsh expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Welsh expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in Italy]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in Canada]]
[[Category:Welsh people of English descent]]
[[Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in Canada]]
[[Category:English Football Hall of Fame inductees]]