Crystal Palace FC's first-ever major European adventure is underway, as we battle to win the UEFA Conference League. Find out how you can join us on our journey.

European Tour

## Born in the USA

> After a remarkable two-year journey from Alabama to Bayern Munich, Chris Richards fulfilled a lifelong dream when he moved to the Premier League with Crystal Palace in 2022.

Born in Alabama, USA, Richards began his career near Houston before joining F.C. Dallas’ Academy and earning a professional contract there.

He moved to Houston and then Dallas aged 16 – both over 600 miles from his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, where his parents still live – and initially lived alone with a host family. He then made the even larger jump of joining Bayern Munich aged 18, where he learnt fluent German and made his senior debut shortly after signing.

From here Richards’ rise was swift: he made his senior debut in a friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, his professional debut with Bayern Munich II in 2019, and his full Bayern debut in June 2020. A few months later he featured as a substitute in the German side’s DFL-Supercup win over Borussia Dortmund.

The young defender went on to represent Bayern in the Bundesliga and Champions League before joining 1899 Hoffenheim on loan in 2021. He has played a total of 82 professional matches.

Richards began his international career early, too, competing with the US Under-20s to win the CONCACAF U20 Championship aged 18. His performances at this level earned him a senior debut in November 2020, coming on as a substitute against Panama. Richards has since amassed seven further caps.

He made his debut for the Eagles at Anfield as a second-half substitute in August 2022. Richards went on to make his first start for the club, after a leg injury, in January 2023 in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Selhurst Park.

Commenting on his first start he said: “It was worth the wait! Being able to make it \[my first Premier League start\] at home, especially in a game like tonight, was amazing."

His performances against Manchester United home and away, along with keeping a clean sheet against Newcastle United, saw him win the club's Player of the Month award in January 2023.

Richards' first domestic season in red and blue ended with 10 appearances in total, however he also managed to score his first international goal in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League against Canada to guide the United States to a 2-0 win.

The 2023/24 campaign saw Richards establish more of a place in the side, playing multiple roles as a centre-back, defensive midfielder and even as a right-back. He racked up 30 appearances in total, and scored his first goal against Burnley in a 3-0 win at Selhurst Park in February 2024.

Richards also found CONCACAF Nations League success once more, winning the title again in a 2-0 win over Mexico in March 2024. He was also recognised for his exceptional work with the Palace for Life Foundation - winning the PFA Community Champion award.

In 2024/25, Richards made 32 appearances across all competitions - six of which were in the FA Cup, where he played every single minute on the way to making history in the final against Manchester City.

2020

IFFHS Men's World Youth Team

January 2023

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

2023/24

PFA Community Champion

Richards

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The best of our Defenders | Brighton (H)

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The Full 90: Crystal Palace v Millwall | Palace TV+

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An incident-packed end to the first-half saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin miss a penalty for the visitors, not long before Gabriel Gudmundsson received a second yellow card.

But despite their numerical advantage, Palace were unable to break down a resolute Leeds defence – the closest they came being when Jefferson Lerma’s close-range header was ruled out for offside in the build-up – meaning the Eagles were forced to settle for the draw.

### Summary:

- Three changes for Palace: Henderson ill so Benítez makes Premier League debut, with Hughes and Lerma coming into midfield.
- **6:** Johnson’s early free-kick deflects over the bar.
- **15:** Aaronson pulls wide for Leeds from an inviting position inside the box.
- **25**: Calvert-Lewin’s header is claimed on the line by Benítez.
- **27:** Richards’ first-time strike is blocked inside the Leeds penalty area.
- **39**: Johnson makes an important tackle to deny Calvert-Lewin a clear strike.
- **45:** Leeds are awarded a penalty for a handball, but Calvert-Lewin drags spot-kick wide.
- **45+7 – RED CARD:** Gudmundsson is shown a second yellow card for Leeds after catching Sarr late.
- **HT: Palace 0-0 Leeds**
- **60:** Glasner introduces two substitutes as Wharton and Mateta enter the fray.
- **63:** Richards makes an important intervention at the near post to deny Calvert-Lewin.
- **66:** Mateta tests Darlow with a deflected effort from Sarr’s low ball in.
- **70:** Struijk’s header lands on his own crossbar, before Wharton’s half-volley is blocked.
- **79 – DISALLOWED GOAL:** Lerma heads the ball home from close range, but Johnson is ruled offside by VAR.
- **89:** Stach’s half-volley is well-claimed by Benítez.
- **90+1:** Mateta swivels inside the box, but mis-hits his effort.
- **FT: Palace 0-0 Leeds**

Little under 72 hours since Palace’s last home match – the first leg of their UEFA Conference League Round of 16 tie with AEK Larnaca – the Eagles were back in Premier League action at Selhurst Park.

Their opponents were Leeds United, who had capitalised on a similar schedule to win the reverse fixture at Elland Road back in December – and Oliver Glasner responded by rotating Palace’s midfield, with Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton making way for Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes.

Walter Benítez, meanwhile, was named in goal, making his Premier League debut for Palace after Dean Henderson was ruled out through illness.

With Selhurst in fine voice as ever, Palace were braced for the fight, the first-half proving a physical – and in truth, largely scrappy – affair, dominated by set-pieces and long throws, but culminating in a remarkable series of events.

Chances before that were few and far between: Brennan Johnson, continuing at right wing-back, had the chance to shoot from a free-kick after Evann Guessand did well to nick the ball off a Leeds defence which was uneasy with the ball at its feet. The Palace No. 11’s effort took a nick off the wall, and whistled over the bar.

On 15 minutes, Leeds embarked on one of their frequent aerial sieges, and had what seemed set to be the chance of the half when a hooked ball in was inadvertently flicked on by Ismaïla Sarr, falling for Brenden Aaronson to shoot across goal from an inviting position. The Leeds winger’s effort was poor, and dragged wide of the goalmouth.

Palace had plenty of set-pieces and so too did Leeds – and the latter nearly opened the scoring on 25 minutes after Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who netted a brace against the Eagles earlier this season, had a downwards header from a corner which Benítez, taking a step back to steady himself, just about kept from crossing the line.

Seconds later, after Johnson’s cute piece of skill led to the winger being taken down by Gabriel Gudmundsson – the Leeds full-back yellow-carded – the free-kick came in and Chris Richards caught a half-volley cleanly. The ball was travelling – yet the effort was blocked.

Johnson was heavily involved at both ends of the pitch, and with Calvert-Lewin a menace, the Palace full-back made an important tackle on the Leeds man to deny him a clean shot at goal in a threatening position.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, an extraordinary passage of events.

Firstly, Leeds – from another corner – were awarded a penalty kick from nowhere. Hughes was ruled the offending party by Thomas Bramall, raising his arm amidst a crowd of bodies, all jostling and pushing.

Up stepped Calvert-Lewin from 12 yards – but despite sending Benítez the wrong way, the Leeds top scorer screwed a poor penalty wide of the bottom-left corner.

With only two minutes of added time signalled, play continued well into it and – just seconds after Jaka Bijol did well to avoid a second yellow card – Gudmundsson was awarded one for a mistimed lunge on Sarr. 

The referee, initially not appearing to realise the Leeds No. 3 was already on a booking, took a moment – but then showed him red.

For the second Premier League home game in a row, Palace found themselves a man – and a penalty miss – to the good.

Heading into the second-half, the onus was thus on the Eagles to attack, but Leeds introduced defensive reinforcements from the bench and did everything they could to frustrate the hosts.

That saw Glasner make two changes himself on the hour mark, with Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta introduced to the fray.

Yet within moments of them coming on, it was only fine reading of the game from Richards which prevented Calvert-Lewin from meeting Anton Stach’s low ball in, after a cute reverse pass in the build-up by Joe Rodon.

Palace responded with their best period of the match. Mateta, making a dart to the near post, met Sarr’s teasing cross, only for Rodon to get a toe in and deflect the ball off the striker. It still popped up and forced Leeds ‘keeper Karl Darlow to tip it behind, but the visitors dealt with the corner.

The Eagles continued to push forwards, with Jaydee Canvot’s teasing cross nodded onto the roof of his own net by Pascal Struijk, and Wharton’s cleanly-hit half-volley blocked by a falling Leeds defender – no handball given on this occasion.

The closest Palace came was with 10 minutes left – a corner, again, the source of the danger.

Johnson played a short ball to Guessand and ran onto the return, clipping in a cross which allowed Lerma – towering high – to force a brilliant reaction save from Darlow. Lerma followed up, diving in to force the rebound home, only for the flag to go up against Johnson in the first instance, with VAR subsequently confirming the decision.

There was one final half-chance for both teams in injury-time: Stach’s well-hit half-volley testing Benítez’s handling, and Mateta mis-kicking from a last-minute low cross into the box.

But in the end, both teams were forced to settle for a battling point apiece.

**Palace:** Benitez (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Canvot (Pino, 80), Johnson (Kamada, 80), Lerma, Hughes (Wharton, 60), Mitchell, Sarr, Guessand, Strand Larsen (Mateta, 60).

**Subs:** Matthews (GK), Riad, Clyne, Sosa, Devenny.

**Leeds:** Darlow (GK), Rodon, Struijk, Bijol, Justin, Ampadu, Stach, Gudmundsson, Aaronson (Bogle, HT), Nmecha (Gruev, HT), Calvert-Lewin.

**Subs:** Perri (GK), Bornauw, Tanaka, James, Longstaff, Piroe, Gnonto.

### As It Happened

A physical contest, light on chances, saw Crystal Palace and Leeds United take a point apiece from a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.

Report: Palace & Leeds share points from battling draw

Crystal Palace v Leeds United (2026-03-15)

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### Summary:

**Swaby gets her first start of the year, whilst Nolan drops out due to injury.**

- **7: Blanchard tests the goalkeeper with a dipping shot from outside the box**
- **9: GOAL - Everett nods home from Howat's clipped cross**
- **17: Brilliant work from Napier sees Weerden released on the left-wing but Batty is there to claim her cross**
- **34: Weerden's effort slams into the side netting after another flowing Palace move**
- **38: Napier prevents a certain Forest goal on the line**
- **43: Blanchard's effort is just over the bar**
- **HT: Palace 1 - 0 Forest**
- **59: Yañez saves well from Kiernan's effort in the box**
- **61: Weerden tries her luck from a free-kick, but it's just wide**
- **77: Instinctive save from Yañez keeps it at 1-0**
- **82: Larkin sees her shot blocked**
- **90+8: A stunning set of saves and blocks prevent Forest from scoring**
- **FT: Palace 1- 0 Forest**

Jo Potter's side made it three league wins in a row, as an early header from Aimee Everett proved to be the difference.

It was a fast start from the Eagles, and Palace took the lead with just nine minutes played.

Kirsty Howat received a short corner from Ashleigh Weerden, and floated an inviting cross into the box.

The skipper was there to meet it, powering a header beyond Emily Batty and into the bottom corner.

It was her first goal for Palace since the 2023/24 season, and the delight was written across her face.

Forest almost tied things up on 38 minutes, after some fine work from Jessie Stapleton.

There to deny her was Jamie-Lee Napier though, who blocked her effort on the line superbly.

That was the visitor's best attempt in the first-half, as Palace managed to keep them at bay.

There were less chances for either side in the second-half, with both defences on top.

Palace still looked the likelier of the two sides however, with Weerden and Abbie Larkin going close.

There was last minute drama though, as Forest committed players forward to grab the equaliser.

It looked for all the world as if Georgia Brougham had scored from a corner in the eighth minute of injury time, but Shae Yañez somehow clawed the ball away from goal.

The Palace defenders blocked the several subsequent efforts on goal and cleared the ball to safety, denying the visitors any hope of late drama.

This result means that Palace remain in third-place, with a trip to Newcastle up next.

**Tickets are still available for that game, click below to get yours.**

Buy Newcastle tickets here!

**Palace:** Yañez (GK), Napier, Cato, Everett, Sharpe, Howat (Hughes, 62), Weerden, Ladd, Blanchard (Brown, 86), Larkin, Swaby

Subs not used: Annets, Arthur, Brady, Riley, Littlejohn, Newell

**Nottingham Forest**: Batty (GK), Stapleton, Brougham, Mustaki, Hed, Rowe, Omewa (Claypole, 74), Brown, Kiernan (Rose, 74), Murphy, Boye-Hlorkah

Subs not used: Ferguson (GK), Johnson, Wellings, Olding, Green, Smith, Hibbert-Johnson

Crystal Palace Women continued their superb league form in 2026, as they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.

Report: Resilient Palace edge out Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace Women v Nottingham Forest Women (2026-03-15)

Crystal Palace were held to a 0-0 draw by Leeds United at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon – with matchday images below.

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace & Leeds share points from battling draw

Report: Resilient Palace edge out Nottingham Forest

Matchday Gallery: Eagles held by Leeds at Selhurst

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26Chris
Richards

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace & Leeds share points from battling draw

Report: Resilient Palace edge out Nottingham Forest

Matchday Gallery: Eagles held by Leeds at Selhurst

Shop Palace Shirts

26ChrisRichards

26Chris
Richards