| Sophie Howard | |
| Fullname: | Sophie Louise Howard[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1993 9, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Hanau, Germany |
| Height: | 1.75 m |
| Currentclub: | Leicester City |
| Clubnumber: | 5 |
| Position: | Defender |
| Youthclubs1: | Sportfreunde Oberau |
| Youthclubs2: | SV Phönix Düdelsheim |
| Collegeyears1: | 2012–2014 |
| College1: | UCF Knights |
| Collegecaps1: | 63 |
| Collegegoals1: | 3 |
| Years1: | 2009–2012 |
| Clubs1: | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| Caps1: | 42 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Years2: | 2013 |
| Clubs2: | Colorado Rapids Women |
| Years3: | 2014–2015 |
| Clubs3: | Colorado Pride |
| Years4: | 2015–2018 |
| Clubs4: | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| Caps4: | 63 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs5: | Reading |
| Caps5: | 17 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2020– |
| Clubs6: | Leicester City |
| Caps6: | 57 |
| Goals6: | 1 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2012 |
| Nationalteam1: | Germany U20 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2017– |
| Nationalteam2: | Scotland |
| Nationalcaps2: | 41 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 3 |
| Club-Update: | 13:27, 3 July 2023 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 10:25, 29 September 2023 (UTC) |
Sophie Louise Howard (born 17 September 1993) is a footballer who plays as a defender for FA Women's Super League club Leicester City. Born in Germany, she has been a member of the Scotland national team since 2017.
On 8 June 2020, Reading announced that Howard had left the club after her contract had expired.[2] In August 2020 Howard signed for Leicester City ahead of the 2020–21 FA Women's Championship season.
Howard played twice for the Germany U20 national team in 2012. She was named in Germany's squad for the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan, but did not get to play in any matches. In 2016 she was called into a training camp for England's new "Next Gen" team. She said: "Although I was born and brought up in Germany it's always been my ambition to play for England, and hopefully I’ve now taken my first step."[3]
In March 2017 she was called up into the Scotland national team. The Scots had three injured defenders and were allowed to pick Howard because her grandfather is Scottish.[4] She made her senior international debut on 11 April 2017, as a 64th-minute substitute in a 5–0 friendly defeat by Belgium in Leuven.[5]
Scotland statistics accurate as of match played 29 September 2023.
| Year | Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | ||
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 2 | |
| Total | 41 | 3 | |
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Howard goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 May 2019 | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly | ||
| 2 | 21 February 2023 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2023 Pinatar Cup | ||
| 2 | 21 February 2023 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League | |