Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Niamh Louise Charles [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 21 June 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2016–2020 | Liverpool | 48 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2020– | Chelsea | 76 | (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
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:15, 18 May 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.
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.
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]
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.
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.
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Continental [lower-alpha 1] | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Liverpool | 2016 | Women's Super League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
2017 | Women's Super League | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
2017–18 | Women's Super League | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 3 | |||
2018–19 | Women's Super League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||
2019–20 | Women's Super League | 13 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 19 | 6 | |||
Total | 48 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 3 | — | — | 60 | 10 | ||||
Chelsea | 2020–21 | Women's Super League | 13 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 30 | 3 |
2021–22 | Women's Super League | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
2022–23 | Women's Super League | 21 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 39 | 4 | ||
2023–24 | Women's Super League | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | — | 36 | 3 | ||
Total | 76 | 8 | 17 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 137 | 12 | ||
Career total | 124 | 14 | 20 | 3 | 21 | 4 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 197 | 22 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
England | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
2022 | 2 | 0 | |
2023 | 9 | 0 | |
2024 | 5 | 0 | |
Total | 18 | 0 |
Chelsea
England
Individual
Gilly Louise Scarlett Flaherty is an English former footballer who last played for FA WSL club Liverpool. Flaherty is a former Arsenal Ladies player who began her career in Millwall Lionesses' youth teams. She usually plays in the centre back position and represented England at youth level before making her senior debut in October 2015.
Jordan Nobbs is an English professional footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Aston Villa. She previously played for Sunderland and Arsenal.
Lucy Elizabeth Staniforth-Wilson is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Aston Villa and the England women's national team.
Demi Lee Courtney Stokes is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Newcastle United. and the England national team. She previously played for Manchester City in the Women's Super League.
Alex Greenwood is an English professional footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. Primarily a left-sided defender, she plays as both a centre-back and a left-back. Greenwood began her senior career at Everton, Notts County and Liverpool, before playing for Olympique Lyonnais and winning Division 1 and the Champions League with the club. She also captained Manchester United, winning the Championship in their inaugural season. Greenwood is known for her tackling, positional play and passing; as a left-footed player she is a set-piece specialist, who often takes penalties, free kicks and corners.
Francesca Kirby is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the England national team. She began her career with hometown club Reading before moving to Chelsea in July 2015 where she remained until 2024. In August 2014, Kirby won her first senior cap for England. She represented her country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France and the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 in the Netherlands.
Hannah Jayne Blundell is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the England national team.
Laura Coombs is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team.
Erin Jacqueline Cuthbert is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Chelsea in the FA WSL and is a member of the Scotland national team. She studied at University of the West of Scotland, combining graduation from the Open University with being a professional football player.
Millie Bright is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Chelsea who she captains, and the England national team. She previously played for Doncaster Belles and Leeds Ladies, and represented England on the under-19 and under-23 national teams.
Georgia Marie Stanway is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Frauen-Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the England national team. Stanway started her senior career at Blackburn Rovers before joining Manchester City and winning the WSL in 2016, as well as three times the FA Cup and League Cup. In her first season with Bayern, they won the Frauen-Bundesliga. Stanway has also represented England at various youth levels, including captaining the U17 team, prior to scoring on her senior debut in 2018.
Mary Alexandra Earps is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain and the England national team. At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, she served as the vice captain for England, and received the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper of the tournament. Earps was announced the winner of 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.
Bethany England is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women’s Super League club Tottenham Hotspur, whom she captains, and the England national team. She previously played for Doncaster Rovers Belles, Liverpool and Chelsea, and represented England on the U19 and U23 national teams.
Jess Carter is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for National Women's Soccer League club NJ/NY Gotham FC and the England national team. She began her senior career at Birmingham City and has represented England from under-19 to under-23 youth level.
Chloe Maggie Kelly is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. Kelly started her senior career at Arsenal, prior to going on loan to Everton, and joining the team permanently in 2018. With Manchester City, she is a 2019–20 FA Cup and 2021–22 League Cup winner, has twice been named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year, and was the joint top assist provider in the 2020–21 WSL season.
Alessia Mia Teresa Russo is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England national team. She previously played club football for Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, as well as college soccer for North Carolina Tar Heels. At United, Russo won awards from the club including Player of the Year and Goal of the Season, and was twice top scorer. She has also been awarded Player of the Month and Goal of the Month in the WSL.
Carlotte Mae Wubben-Moy is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Arsenal in the FA Women's Super League and the English national team. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels. She has represented England at multiple youth levels from under-15 up to under-21, and made her debut for the England women's team in March 2021.
Ella Ann Toone is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Manchester United and the England national team. She represented England from under-17 to under-21, scoring her first Euro goal against Spain in 2022, with another against Germany in the Euro 2022 final, helping the team to win the European Championship.
Lauren Elizabeth James is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League (WSL) club Chelsea and the England women's national team. James started her senior career with Arsenal in 2017 before joining Manchester United in 2018 and winning the Championship. Since joining Chelsea in 2021, she has twice won the WSL and FA Cup with the club, and was awarded the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year for the 2022–2023 season.
Lauren May Hemp is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. With City, she is a FA Cup and League Cup winner, and with England; she is a European Championship and Finalissima winner, as well as World Cup runner-up. Since 2017, Hemp was twice named FA England Young Player of the Year and four times named PFA Women's Young Player of the Year.