Charles (footballer, born 1984)

Charles Dias de Oliveira (born 4 April 1984), known simply as Charles, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Pontevedra CF as a striker.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Dias and the second or paternal family name is de Oliveira.

Charles
Charles in 2015
Personal information
Full name Charles Dias de Oliveira
Date of birth (1984-04-04) 4 April 1984
Place of birth Belém, Brazil
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Pontevedra
Number 18
Youth career
1988–1998 Santos
1998–2001 Tuna Luso
2001–2002 Feirense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Feirense 50 (12)
2004–2010 Pontevedra 179 (56)
2010–2012 Córdoba 66 (22)
2012–2013 Almería 40 (27)
2013–2015 Celta 58 (15)
2015–2017 Málaga 56 (15)
2017–2020 Eibar 94 (28)
2020– Pontevedra 87 (30)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:20, 7 August 2023 (UTC)

He spent most of his career in Spain, representing clubs in La Liga, Segunda División and Segunda División B after starting out at Pontevedra.

Club career
Charles playing for Pontevedra in 2007

Born in Belém, Pará, Charles started playing football with Santos FC where he arrived at the age of four, then completed his development with Tuna Luso Brasileira still in his country and C.D. Feirense in Portugal. He started his senior career with the latter club, competing in both the second and third divisions.

In the summer of 2004, Charles moved to Spain, signing with Pontevedra CF in Segunda División. He made his league debut on 28 August in a 0–1 home loss against Polideportivo Ejido, being sent off after only three minutes on the pitch.[1]

Charles spent the following five seasons with the Galicians in Segunda División B.[2][3] In his last he led them to the promotion playoffs after scoring 15 goals in the regular season,[4] but it eventually fell short.

In early July 2010, Charles signed as a free agent for Córdoba CF in the second tier.[5] He again netted 15 times in his first campaign, notably grabbing braces in wins against Xerez CD (3–1 away) and Albacete Balompié (5–1, home).[6]

Charles joined UD Almería – also in Andalusia – for the 2012–13 season,[7] after engaging in extensive and fruitless conversations with Córdoba to renew his contract.[8][9] On 2 December 2012 he scored a hat-trick past Racing de Santander in a 4–3 away win[10] and, already fully reconverted as a striker after having started his career as a winger, was crowned the competition's Pichichi Trophy at 27 goals (plus five in the playoffs) to help his team back to La Liga after two years.[11]

On 27 June 2013, Charles penned a four-year contract with RC Celta de Vigo, as a replacement for Liverpool-bound Iago Aspas.[12] He scored in his top-flight debut at the age of 29, helping to a 2–2 home draw against RCD Espanyol.[13]

Charles was the author of the first-ever goal at the new San Mamés Stadium on 16 September 2013, but in a 3–2 loss to Athletic Bilbao.[14][15] He took his league tally to seven on 11 January of the following year, netting a brace to help the hosts come from behind and defeat Valencia CF 2–1.[16]

Charles scored both goals in a 2–0 home victory over Real Madrid on 11 May 2014, which ended his opponents chances of winning the league.[17] On 24 June of the following year, he signed a two-year deal with fellow league side Málaga CF.[18]

On 3 October 2015, in matchday seven, Charles netted all of his team's goals – also their first of the new season – to help defeat Real Sociedad 3–1 at the La Rosaleda Stadium.[19] On 4 July 2017 he joined SD Eibar also from the top division, agreeing to a one-year contract as a free agent.[20]

On 31 July 2020, the 36-year-old Charles returned to Pontevedra.[21]

Personal life

Charles was cousin to two other footballers, Igor de Souza and Yuri de Souza. They too were forwards and also spent several seasons in Portugal and Spain, also representing Pontevedra.[22][23]

Career statistics
As of match played 11 February 2023[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Feirense 2001–02[25] Segunda Divisão 83——83
2002–03[25] 125——125
2003–04[25] Segunda Liga 30321—324
Total 501221005213
Pontevedra 2004–05[26] Segunda División 33621—357
2005–06[26] Segunda División B 3613102[lower-alpha 1]03913
2006–07[26] 339102[lower-alpha 1]0369
2007–08[26] 164202[lower-alpha 1]0204
2008–09[26] 26900—269
2009–10[26] 3515003[lower-alpha 1]03815
Total 17956619019457
Córdoba 2010–11[26] Segunda División 361530—3915
2011–12[26] 307312[lower-alpha 1]0358
Total 662261207423
Almería 2012–13[26] Segunda División 4027304[lower-alpha 1]54732
Celta 2013–14[26] La Liga 301210—3112
2014–15[26] 28331—314
Total 581541006216
Málaga 2015–16[26] La Liga 351100—3511
2016–17[26] 21300—213
Total 561400005614
Eibar 2017–18[26] La Liga 30810—318
2018–19[26] 341421—3615
2019–20[26] 30633—339
Total 9428640010032
Pontevedra 2020–21[26] Segunda División B 21520—235
2021–22[26] Segunda División RFEF 311900—3119
2022–23[26] Primera Federación 35620—376
Total Pontevedra 270861019028987
Career total 634204318155680217
  1. Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs

Honours

Feirense

Individual

References
  1. Casás, Xaime (29 August 2004). "El 'Poli' enseña al Pontevedra como se juega en Segunda" ['Poli' show Pontevedra how to play in Segunda]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  2. Gómez, P. (15 March 2010). "Iván Carril y Charles lideran al Pontevedra en Sestao y lo meten en las posiciones de ascenso" [Iván Carril and Charles lead Pontevedra in Sestao and place team in promotion zone]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  3. "Charles y Paulino se han pedido disculpas, según el Pontevedra" [Charles and Paulino have apologised to each other, according to Pontevedra]. El Correo Gallego (in Spanish). 31 March 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  4. "El Pontevedra, a por el ascenso" [Pontevedra, hunting promotion]. Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). 10 May 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  5. López, Cisco (2 July 2010). "Charles, refuerzo para la delantera" [Charles, signing for offensive end]. El Día de Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  6. "El Córdoba da un gran paso hacia la salvación" [Córdoba take major step towards salvation]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 May 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  7. Gutiérrez, J. G. (13 July 2012). "Charles, otro elemento para la causa en una UD Almería que 'huele' bastante bien" [Charles, another member for the cause in UD Almería that 'smell' pretty good]. Ideal (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  8. Luque, Ignacio (31 August 2011). "Juan Luna Eslava: "Charles está hecho un mar de dudas"" [Juan Luna Eslava: "Charles is a sea of doubts"]. Diario Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  9. León, José Carlos (12 March 2013). "Charles, amenaza con cifras de récord" [Charles, threat at record pace]. El Día de Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  10. "(Crónica) El Almería se pone a un punto del líder y deja al Racing hundido" [(Report) Almería one point behind leaders and sink Racing] (in Spanish). Te Interesa. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  11. "Los goles del "pichichi" Charles llevan al Almería a primera división" [Goals from "pichichi" Charles take Almería to first division]. Ideal (in Spanish). 22 June 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  12. "Charles ficha por el Celta para las próxima [sic] cuatro temporadas" [Charles signs with Celta for next four seasons] (in Spanish). Goal. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  13. "Charles makes instant Celta impact". ESPN FC. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  14. "Athletic open stadium with win". ESPN FC. 16 September 2013. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  15. ""Seremos recordados", dice Mikel San José, autor del primer gol en el nuevo San Mamés" ["We shall be remembered", says Mikel San José, author of first goal in the new San Mamés]. Canal Athletic. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  16. Egea, Pablo (11 January 2014). "Charles acaba con el efecto Pizzi" [Charles ends Pizzi effect]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  17. "Celta de Vigo 2–0 Real Madrid". BBC Sport. 11 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  18. "Charles to join Málaga Club de Fútbol until 2016/17". Málaga CF. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  19. Cariño, Carlos (4 October 2015). "El Málaga se libera con los tres goles de Charles" [Málaga find liberation with the three goals from Charles]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  20. "Charles, nuevo jugador de SD Eibar" [Charles, new player of SD Eibar] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  21. "Charles vuelve al Pontevedra" [Charles returns to Pontevedra]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 31 July 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  22. "Yuri, "orgulloso" de liderar el Pichichi con su primo Charles" [Yuri, "proud" to top Pichichi with his cousin Charles]. Marca (in Spanish). 4 December 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  23. Quixano, Jordi (15 December 2012). "La 'familia Gol'" [The 'Goal family']. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  24. Charles at Soccerway
  25. Charles at ForaDeJogo (archived)
  26. Charles at BDFutbol
  27. "C.D. Feirense com história – 2002/2003" [C.D. Feirense with history – 2002/2003] (in Portuguese). C. D. Feirense. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
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