Former Wales and Juventus star John Charles claimed that a 54-capped England international was the best crosser of a ball he had ever seen, surpassing the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. Charles is one of the Dragons' most famous ever players, having starred as both a centre-forward and centre-defender while carving out a career playing for the likes of Leeds and Roma, as well as the Old Lady in Turin.
Charles also played for his national team in the 1958 World Cup – the first time they ever qualified for the tournament – meaning he was no stranger to playing against many superstars. However, it was one Englishman in particular that he bestowed such a high honour to.
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Charles Named Stanley Matthews As Greatest Crosser
The Ballon d'Or winner excelled in crossing positions
As per Time Vault Soccer, Charles declared that Ballon d'Or winning icon Stanley Matthews was the greatest crosser of a football he had ever seen. Matthews, who was the first and remains the oldest Ballon d'Or winner in history, made a name for himself across the world as a right-winger during a time when becoming a household name in the sport was not as easy as it is now with social media.
Despite that, Matthews' quality shone through, with Charles stating:
"He [Matthews] was the best crosser I've ever seen – and he had to contend with the old heavy ball."
Matthews has been dubbed 'The Wizard of Dribble,' such was his innate ability in taking on his opponents. However, as an old-fashioned winger, just being able to beat a defender was not enough. He needed to have end product, and thankfully for him and his teammates, his crosses were often second to none.
This was perhaps no better summed up than when the former Stoke City man was able to skip past Jim Langley of Fulham and find teammate John Ritchie in the penalty area to score a second goal in a 3-1 victory, mere days after Matthews had entered his fifties.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 11/07/2025.