John Terry facts for kids

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John Terry

Terry in 2022
Personal information
Full name	John George Terry
Date of birth	(1980-12-07) 7 December 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth	Barking, Greater London, England
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.87 m)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Youth career
1991–1995	West Ham United
1995–1998	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2017	Chelsea	492	(41)
2000	→ Nottingham Forest (loan)	6	(0)
2017–2018	Aston Villa	32	(1)
Total		530	(42)
International career
2000–2002	England U21	9	(1)
2003–2012	England	78	(6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John George Terry (born 7 December 1980) is an English football coach and former player. He played as a centre-back, which is a defensive position in football. John Terry was the captain for Chelsea, the England national team, and Aston Villa. Many people consider him one of the best defenders of his time.

Terry won the UEFA Club Defender of the Year award three times (2005, 2008, 2009). He was also named PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2005. For five years in a row (2005 to 2009), he was part of the FIFPro World XI, which is a team of the best players in the world. In 2024, John Terry was added to the Premier League Hall of Fame.

John Terry is known as Chelsea's most successful captain. He played for the club for 19 years. During this time, he led Chelsea to win five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Europa League, and one UEFA Champions League title. He is one of only six players to have played over 500 games for Chelsea. He is also the defender who has scored the most goals for the club.

In 2007, Terry was the first captain to lift the FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium. Chelsea won that final 1–0 against Manchester United. He also scored the first international goal at the new Wembley, a header for England in a 1–1 draw with Brazil. In his last season at Chelsea in 2017, he became the first player ever to captain a team to five Premier League titles.

After leaving Chelsea, Terry played one season for Aston Villa in the EFL Championship. He then retired from playing football. A few months later, he returned to Aston Villa as an assistant coach. He helped the team get promoted back to the Premier League in 2019. Terry left Aston Villa in July 2021. In April 2023, he joined Leicester City as part of the coaching staff.

Early Life and Youth Career

John George Terry was born on 7 December 1980 in Barking, England. He went to Eastbury Comprehensive School. As a young boy, he played football for a local team called Senrab.

Starting in Football

As a boy, Terry was part of West Ham United's youth team. He joined them in 1991 and played as a midfielder. When he was 14, he moved to Chelsea. He played for Chelsea's youth and reserve teams. He became a centre-back because the team needed more players in that position. After finishing school, he joined Chelsea full-time at age 16. He signed a professional contract a year later.

Club Career Highlights

Early Appearances for Chelsea

John Terry made his first appearance for Chelsea on 28 October 1998. He came on as a substitute in a League Cup game against Aston Villa. His first time starting a game was later that season. It was an FA Cup match where Chelsea won 2–0 against Oldham Athletic.

Loan to Nottingham Forest

In 2000, Terry spent a short time playing for Nottingham Forest. This was a loan move, which helped him get more experience playing in first-team games.

Becoming a Regular Player

From the 2000–01 season, Terry started to play regularly for Chelsea. He made 23 starts and was voted the club's Player of the Year. He continued to improve in 2001–02. He became a regular defender alongside the team captain, Marcel Desailly.

On 5 December 2001, Terry was captain for Chelsea for the first time. This was in a Premier League match against Charlton Athletic. Chelsea reached the FA Cup final that season. Terry scored the only goal in the semi-final against Fulham. He was sick and could not start the final, but he came on as a substitute. Chelsea lost 2–0 to Arsenal in that final. In the 2003–04 season, he became vice-captain under manager Claudio Ranieri. He played very well and formed a strong defensive partnership with William Gallas.

Captaincy and Major Successes

Terry (right of trophy) celebrating winning the 2004–05 Premier League with Chelsea

After Marcel Desailly left, the new Chelsea manager, José Mourinho, chose John Terry as the club captain. This was a great choice, as Chelsea won the Premier League title in the 2004–05 season. They set records for the best defence and most points in Football League history. Terry was voted Player of the Year by other professional players in England. He also scored eight goals, including an important goal against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. He was named the best defender in the Champions League that season. In September 2005, he was chosen for the World XI team by FIFPro.

Terry celebrating after Chelsea won the 2005–06 Premier League

Chelsea won the Premier League title again in the 2005–06 season. They earned 91 points and secured the title with a 3–0 win against Manchester United.

In a match on 14 October 2006 against Reading, Terry had to play as a goalkeeper for Chelsea. This happened in the last few minutes of the game because both goalkeepers, Petr Čech and Carlo Cudicini, were injured. Chelsea had no more substitutes left. Terry managed to keep the goal safe, and Chelsea won 1–0.

Terry playing for Chelsea in 2006

During the 2006–07 season, Terry missed some games due to a back problem. He had surgery on his back in December 2006. He returned to play in February 2007. In a Champions League game against Porto, he injured his ankle. He was expected to miss the 2007 League Cup final against Arsenal. However, he recovered quickly and played in the final. During the game, he suffered a serious injury to his face. He was carried off the field but returned later to celebrate Chelsea's 2–1 win. He led Chelsea to the Champions League semi-finals that season. In May 2007, Terry captained Chelsea in the 2007 FA Cup final, which was the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium.

In July 2007, Terry signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea. This made him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League at the time.

Terry playing for Chelsea in 2008

On 16 December 2007, Terry broke three bones in his foot while playing against Arsenal. He recovered quickly and captained Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final, which Chelsea lost 2–1 to Tottenham. On 11 May 2008, he dislocated his elbow in a game against Bolton. This injury did not stop him from playing in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United. The game went to penalties. Terry missed a penalty that would have won Chelsea the Champions League. Chelsea lost the shootout. On 28 August 2008, Terry won the Defender of The Year award from UEFA.

On 13 September 2008, Terry received a red card against Manchester City. However, this decision was later overturned. Even though he was a defender, he sometimes scored important goals for Chelsea.

Winning the Double and Champions League

Terry (right) celebrating winning the double with Chelsea in 2010

In July 2009, Manchester City tried to sign Terry, but Chelsea's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said Terry would stay. On 8 November 2009, Terry scored the winning goal in Chelsea's match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

On 9 May 2010, Terry captained Chelsea as they won their fourth Premier League title. They won 8–0 against Wigan Athletic. A week later, on 15 May 2010, Terry won his fourth FA Cup medal as captain. Chelsea beat Portsmouth 1–0 in the final at Wembley Stadium.

On 31 December 2011, Terry captained Chelsea for the 400th time in his career. This was a club record. In 2011, Terry was the world's third best passer among players with over 1,000 passes. He had a 91.6% pass accuracy rate. Only Xavi and Leon Britton had better rates.

Terry celebrating Chelsea's 2011–12 UEFA Champions League triumph

On 24 April 2012, Terry was sent off in a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. He was suspended for the 2012 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Terry later said sorry for letting his teammates and fans down. He scored his sixth league goal of the season in the final match, a 2–1 win over Blackburn. This was his most successful season for scoring goals.

Even though Terry was suspended for the Champions League final, he joined in the celebrations after Chelsea won 4–3 on penalty kicks.

Later Career at Chelsea

On 11 November 2012, Terry scored his 50th goal for Chelsea against Liverpool. He left the game injured and missed 16 matches, including the Club World Cup. He returned to the first team in January 2013.

Terry (right) playing for Chelsea in 2014

On 17 April 2013, Terry scored two goals in a derby match against Fulham, which Chelsea won 3–0. On 13 May 2014, Terry signed a new one-year contract with Chelsea.

On 18 October 2014, Terry captained Chelsea for the 500th time against Crystal Palace. In the next game, he scored in Chelsea's biggest Champions League win against Maribor. He also scored Chelsea's fastest-ever Champions League goal, a header after 90 seconds against Schalke 04.

Terry (right) with the 2014–15 Premier League trophy

In the League Cup final on 1 March 2015, Terry scored the first goal and was named Man of the Match. Chelsea won 2–0 against Tottenham. On 26 March, Terry signed another one-year contract extension. On 26 April, Terry was voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. On 29 April, Terry became the joint highest-scoring defender in the Premier League with 38 goals. He scored his 39th goal on 10 May, becoming the highest-scoring defender in the Premier League.

On 23 August 2015, Terry received a red card in a 3–2 win against West Bromwich Albion. On 15 January 2016, he scored an own goal but then scored his first goal of the season in the 98th minute, helping Chelsea draw 3–3 against Everton. On 1 February 2016, Terry announced he would leave Chelsea in the summer of 2016.

However, on 18 May 2016, Terry signed a new one-year contract to stay at Chelsea until the end of the 2016–17 season. Ten days before, he had been sent off in a 3–2 loss to Sunderland.

When Antonio Conte became the new Chelsea manager, he confirmed that Terry would remain the club captain. On 11 September 2016, Terry suffered an ankle injury during a match against Swansea City. On 8 January 2017, Terry received a red card in an FA Cup match against Peterborough United. On 17 April, he announced he would leave Chelsea at the end of the season. Terry played his 717th and final match for Chelsea on 21 May in a 5–1 home win over Sunderland. He left the field in the 28th minute, which was his shirt number, and received a guard of honour from his teammates. In December 2019, Chelsea fans voted Terry into the club's team of the decade.

Aston Villa Career

Terry lining up for Aston Villa in the 2018 Championship play-off final

On 3 July 2017, John Terry signed a one-year contract with Championship club Aston Villa. He joined them for free and was made captain for the 2017–18 season. He played his first game for Aston Villa on 5 August 2017 in a 1–1 draw with Hull City. Terry scored his only goal for Aston Villa in a 2–1 win over Fulham on 21 October.

On 30 May 2018, Terry left Aston Villa. The club did not get promoted to the Premier League that season, losing 1–0 to Fulham in the play-off final.

In September 2018, Terry considered joining Spartak Moscow but decided not to for family reasons. He announced his retirement from playing football on 7 October 2018.

International Career for England

Terry playing for England in 2010

John Terry made his debut for the England national team in June 2003 against Serbia and Montenegro. His first start for England was on 20 August 2003 in a friendly game against Croatia, which England won 3–1. He often played alongside Rio Ferdinand in central defence. He played for England at UEFA Euro 2004. The England manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson, said Terry was his first-choice defender.

In 2005, during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match, Terry wore England's captain armband for the first time. He took over from Michael Owen.

He secured his place in the England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. On 30 May 2006, Terry scored his first goal for England in a warm-up game against Hungary. England won 3–1. He played in England's opening game against Paraguay. In the next match against Trinidad and Tobago, Terry made a great save, clearing the ball off the line with an overhead kick. In the quarter-final against Portugal, England lost on penalties. Terry was the only English player chosen for the tournament's all-star squad.

On 10 August 2006, Steve McClaren named John Terry as the new England captain, taking over from David Beckham. McClaren said he was sure Terry would be one of England's best captains. Terry scored a goal in his first game as England captain, in a friendly against Greece. However, with Terry as captain, England did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2008.

On 1 June 2007, Terry became the first player to score an international goal at the new Wembley Stadium. He scored a header from a free kick by David Beckham in a 1–1 draw with Brazil. Almost a year later, he scored a similar headed goal from a David Beckham free kick against the United States.

Terry was confirmed as England captain again in August 2008. He captained England in the qualifying games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first competitive goal for England against Ukraine on 1 April 2009. England secured their place in the World Cup in September 2009.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, England drew their first two games. The English media criticized the team.

Terry (right) playing for England at UEFA Euro 2012

On 19 March 2011, the manager reinstated Terry as England captain. On 3 February 2012, the FA removed Terry from the England captaincy for a second time. This led to the manager resigning.

Terry was included in the squad for UEFA Euro 2012. He played all four of England's matches at the Euros.

John Terry announced his retirement from international football on 23 September 2012.

Playing Style

John Terry was known as a strong and determined defender. He usually played as a centre-back, but he started as a midfielder when he was younger. He was tall and good at heading the ball, which helped him defend against crosses. It also made him a threat to score goals in the opponent's box.

Terry was known for his strong tackles. He was also a smart player, good at positioning himself and reading the game. This helped him make up for not being the fastest player, especially later in his career. He was also praised for his leadership and bravery. Many people consider him one of the best defenders of his generation and one of the best English and Premier League defenders ever.

While some thought his technical skills were not his strongest point, others, like Jamie Carragher, believed his ability with the ball was underrated. Terry was also good at passing, often completing many passes with a high success rate. He could also play long passes with either foot, even though he was naturally right-footed. This meant he could play on either side of the defence.

Coaching Career

On 10 October 2018, Terry became the assistant coach for Aston Villa. He worked with the head coach, Dean Smith. On 26 July 2021, Terry left Aston Villa after three years. During his time there, the club was promoted to the Premier League and stayed there. He said Dean Smith was a great influence on his coaching. In December 2021, it was announced that he would return to Chelsea in a coaching role starting January 2022.

When Dean Smith became the new Leicester City manager on 10 April 2023, he asked Terry to join his coaching staff again.

In July 2023, Terry returned to Chelsea to work as an Academy coach for the club's youth teams.

Personal Life

Terry with children mascots in 2009

John Terry is married to his childhood sweetheart, Toni Poole. They have twins, a boy and a girl, born on 18 May 2006. They got married at Blenheim Palace in June 2007.

When he was growing up, Terry supported Manchester United. His older brother, Paul, also played professional football. Terry's nephew, Frankie, is also a professional footballer.

In 2016, Terry helped pay for the funeral costs of an eight-year-old Chelsea fan. The child had leukaemia and sadly passed away.

Terry also co-owns a swimwear company called Thomas Royall with other footballers.

Career Statistics

Club

International

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Terry goal

List of international goals scored by John Terry

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	30 May 2006	Old Trafford, Manchester, England	23	Hungary	2–0	3–1	Friendly
2	16 August 2006	Old Trafford, Manchester, England	30	Greece	1–0	4–0	Friendly
3	1 June 2007	Wembley Stadium, London, England	38	Brazil	1–0	1–1	Friendly
4	28 May 2008	Wembley Stadium, London, England	44	United States	1–0	2–0	Friendly
5	19 November 2008	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	48	Germany	2–1	2–1	Friendly
6	1 April 2009	Wembley Stadium, London, England	51	Ukraine	2–1	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Awards

Terry after winning the 2016–17 Premier League with Chelsea

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17
• FA Cup: 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12; runner-up: 2001–02, 2016–17
• Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15; runner-up: 2007–08
• FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009
• UEFA Champions League: 2011–12; runner-up: 2007–08
• UEFA Europa League: 2012–13

Individual

• Chelsea Player of the Year: 2000–01, 2005–06
• Premier League Player of the Month: January 2005
• Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2005, 2015
• PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2004–05
• PFA Team of the Year: 2003–04 Premier League, 2004–05 Premier League, 2005–06 Premier League, 2014–15 Premier League
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
• ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10
• UEFA Club Defender of the Year: 2005, 2008, 2009
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006
• PFA Team of the Century (1997–2007): 2007

See also

In Spanish: John Terry (futbolista) para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances