Niamh Charles

Last updated

Niamh Charles
Arsenal LFC v Liverpool LFC, 4 May 2017 (03) (cropped).jpg
Charles in 2017
Personal information
Full name Niamh Louise Charles [1]
Date of birth (1999-06-21) 21 June 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Wirral, Merseyside, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m) [1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Chelsea
Number 21
Youth career
Manchester United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2020 Liverpool 48 (6)
2020– Chelsea 78 (8)
International career‡
2015–2016 England U17 14 (10)
2017 England U19 5 (1)
2017–2018 England U20 5 (0)
2021– England 18 (0)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing Flag of England.svg  England
UEFA–CONMEBOL Finalissima
Winner 2023 England
FIFA Women's World Cup
Runner-up 2023 Australia and New Zealand
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:05, 15 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:40, 16 July 2024 (UTC)

Niamh Louise Charles (born 21 June 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England national team. Beginning her youth and senior career with Liverpool as a forward, she signed for Chelsea in 2020, where she is a four-time WSL winner, three-time FA Cup winner, one-time League Cup winner, and Champions League runner-up. Charles has represented England at U17 to U20 youth levels and made her senior debut for England in 2021. With England, she is a twice Arnold Clark Cup winner and World Cup runner-up.

Contents

Early career

Charles grew up on the Wirral in Merseyside and spent her youth career at the West Kirby Wasps. Excelling when playing with boys up to the age of 14, where she was regularly the only female player on the pitch, after a successful trial, she became a member of Liverpool's youth setup, which she chose over rivals Everton.

Club career

Liverpool

After impressing in the academy, Charles made her senior debut in April 2016 in a draw against Sunderland. [2] Following her excellent 2016 season with Liverpool and the England U-17s, she was nominated for the Women's Rising Star award at the Northwest Football Awards. [2]

Chelsea

Following Liverpool's relegation at the end of the 2019–20 season, Charles signed for Chelsea. [3] Although primarily a forward in her youth and Liverpool days, Chelsea coach Emma Hayes deployed her as a full back or wing back on either flank. She won the treble in her first season, and was also the youngest starter on either side in the Champions League final, where Chelsea lost to Barcelona.

Charles won the double with Chelsea the season after, for a third time in 2022–23, and has now fully established herself as a regular starter. A fourth consecutive title followed in the 2023-24 season when Charles also made the WSL team of the year. She suffered a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season friendly against Feyenoord, delaying her first competitive appearance under new coach Sonia Bompastor until December 2024.

International career

In her youth career, Charles represented England at under-17, under-19, and under-20 levels.

During 2016 U-17 European Championship qualifying, Charles was the third-leading scorer for England with six goals. [4] She tied for the Bronze Boot at the final tournament with four goals, scoring both goals in a 2–1 win against Norway in the third-place match. [5] England's third place win qualified them for the 2016 U-17 World Cup, [4] where Charles played in all four matches as England were eliminated by Japan in the quarter-finals. [6]

Charles made her debut for the senior side on April 9, 2021, as a half-time substitute for Alex Greenwood in a friendly against France.

On 27 May 2021, it was announced that Charles had been selected as one of four reserve players for the Great Britain Olympic football team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. [7] A year later, she was named in the pre-tournament squad for Euro 2022 on home soil, but became one of three unfortunate players who narrowly missed the cut for the final 23. England went on to win the whole tournament.

Charles was allotted 220 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England's inaugural international. [8]

On 31 May 2023, Charles was named to the squad for the 2023 World Cup in July 2023. [9] Niamh played in 2 games at the World Cup, featuring in the 6–1 win over China in the group stage and coming on in the semi final victory over hosts Australia.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 December 2024. [10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League CupContinental [a] OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool 2016 Women's Super League 800010——90
2017 Women's Super League7010———80
2017–18 Women's Super League1130030——143
2018–19 Women's Super League910010——101
2019–20 Women's Super League1322143——196
Total4863193——6010
Chelsea 2020–21 Women's Super League1314141801 [b] 0303
2021–22 Women's Super League201513040—322
2022–23 Women's Super League2145030100—394
2023–24 Women's Super League222302091—363
2024–25 Women's Super League20000020—40
Total7881721213311014112
Career total126142032143311020122

International

As of match played 16 July 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 202120
202220
202390
202450
Total180

Honours

Chelsea

England

Individual

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References

  1. 1 2 "List of Players – England" (PDF). FIFA. 24 September 2016. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Ladies duo nominated for Northwest Football Awards". Liverpool FC. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Chelsea FC Women recruit Niamh Charles". www.chelseafc.com.
  4. 1 2 "England – Women's Under-17". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "Norway U17 vs. England U17 - 16 Mai 2016 - Women Soccerway". de.women.soccerway.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Niamh CHARLES". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Team GB: Steph Houghton, Sophie Ingle and Caroline Weir in Olympics squad". bbc.co.uk. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  8. ↑ Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for World Cup". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for 2023 Women's World Cup". England Football. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Liverpool Ladies player stats". Liverpool Ladies FC. Archived from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  11. ↑ Emma Sanders (20 August 2023). "Women's World Cup final: England lose to Spain in Sydney". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Sanders, Emma (6 April 2023). "England beat Brazil on penalties to win Finalissima". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "England 3 – 1 Germany". BBC Sport. 23 February 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Arnold Clark Cup: England hit six v Belgium to retain trophy". BBC Sport. 22 February 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "PFA WSL Team of the Year". Professional Footballers' Association. 20 August 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
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