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Niamh Charles

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Niamh Charles
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*
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
Women's football
Representing  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 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.

Early career

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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

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Liverpool

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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

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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.

International career

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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

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Club

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As of match played 18 May 2024.[10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Continental[a] 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[b] 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
  1. ^ Includes UEFA Women's Champions League
  2. ^ Appearances in Women's FA Community Shield

International

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As of match played 16 July 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
England 2021 2 0
2022 2 0
2023 9 0
2024 5 0
Total 18 0

Honours

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Chelsea

England

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "Ladies duo nominated for Northwest Football Awards". Liverpool FC. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Chelsea FC Women recruit Niamh Charles". www.chelseafc.com.
  4. ^ a b "England – Women's Under-17". UEFA.com. 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. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  8. ^ Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for World Cup". The Football Association. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  9. ^ Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for 2023 Women's World Cup". England Football.
  10. ^ "Liverpool Ladies player stats". Liverpool Ladies FC. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  11. ^ Emma Sanders (20 August 2023). "Women's World Cup final: England lose to Spain in Sydney". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  12. ^ Sanders, Emma (6 April 2023). "England beat Brazil on penalties to win Finalissima". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  13. ^ "England 3 – 1 Germany". BBC Sport. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Arnold Clark Cup: England hit six v Belgium to retain trophy". BBC Sport. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  15. ^ "PFA WSL Team of the Year". Professional Footballers' Association. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
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