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John Charles (27 December 1931 – 21 February
2004) was a Wales|Welsh football (soccer)|football
player. Rated one of the best all-round players in
the world of his generation, he was equally adept
at centre-forward or centre-back.

John Charles was born in Swansea and joined Leeds
United F.C.|Leeds United at the age of 17, for
whom he scored 150 goals in eight years, including
42 goals in the 1953-54 season. In 1957 he joined
the Italy|Italian club Juventus for a then-record
£65,000 transfer fee. In his five years at
Juventus he scored 93 goals in 155 matches,
winning the scudetto (Italian league championship)
three times, and the Italian Cup twice. He won the
nickname Il Gigante Buono, the Gentle Giant, both
for his size and the fact that he was never
cautioned or sent off. Juventus fans have voted
John Charles the best-ever foreign player to play
for their team.

Following his time at Juventus, he returned to
Leeds United, and also played for AS Roma,
finishing his playing career at Cardiff City
F.C.|Cardiff City. He later became manager of
Hereford United F.C.|Hereford and Merthyr Tydfil
F.C.|Merthyr Tydfil, and technical director of the
Canadian team, Hamilton Steelers.

John Charles first played for the Welsh national
football team|Wales national team shortly after
his 18th birthday and was the heart of the side
which made it to the quarter finals of the
Football World Cup 1958|1958 Football World Cup
(the country's only appearance in the Football
World Cup|World Cup), but was defeated 1-0 by
eventual winners Brazilian national football
team|Brazil (a goal by the emerging Pelé) in his
absence due to injury.

Following his retirement, he ran a pub in
Yorkshire for many years. He was awarded a British
honours system|CBE in 2001, and until shortly
before his death he still attended 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. 

He remained greatly honoured in both Britain and
Italy. 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.

John had a brother, Mel Charles and a nephew
Jeremy Charles, who also represented Wales.