Howard joined UCF Knights in September 2012 and scored her first goal in her fifth appearance.[2] At the end of her first season, Howard was named to the 2012 All-Conference Freshman Team, after three goals and two assists.[3] She was also named to the 2013 American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team and the 2014 AAC Second Team, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in sports science in 2015 with cum laude honors.[4]
Club career
Howard joined German club 1899 Hoffenheim in 2009. During her time at the club she played 17 regional league games, 42 second division games, and 8 cup games until 2012.[5]
In July 2015, Howard was named in the W-League Western All-Conference team, after scoring one goal in nine games for Colorado Pride.[6]
In July 2018, Howard joined English club Reading.[7][8] In June 2020, Reading announced that Howard had left the club at the conclusion of her contract.[9] Two months later, in August, Howard signed for Leicester City ahead of the 2020–21 FA Women's Championship season.[10] She helped the club top the Championship comfortably, sitting eight points ahead of second-placed Durham, and get promoted to the 2021–22 FA WSL. During the season, Howard was a regular starter and continued to be a key player for Leicester City.[11] In 2024, Howard became one of two players to make 100 appearances for the club.[12][13]
International career
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."[14]
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.[15] 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.[16] In May 2019, Howard scored her first goal for the national team, heading in the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Jamaica.[17]
Personal life
Howard was born in the German town Hanau to a Scottish mother and English father.[18]
Career statistics
International appearances
Scotland statistics accurate as of match played 29 September 2023.[19]
↑ Marina, Jenna (30 September 2012). "No. 10 UCF Women's Soccer Tops Rice, 1-0". UCF Knights. Playing in just her fifth match as a Knight, freshman Sophie Howard netted the first goal of her career to lift the Knights to victory. Howard missed most of the non-conference season and arrived in Orlando in two weeks ago from the U-20 World Cup in Japan where she was representing her home country of Germany.
↑ "Sophie Howard". Leicester City. Retrieved 10 March 2025. Howard reached 100 appearances for LCFC Women on the final day of the 2023/24 season at King Power Stadium, as the Foxes confirmed a tenth-placed finish despite losing to Liverpool.
↑ "City in Australia: Leicester City scout report". Yahoo!. 21 August 2024. Meanwhile, two stalwarts to watch out for are Sophie Howard and Sam Tierney. They are the only two players to appear 100 times for Leicester City Women.
↑ "Under-strength Scotland fall to Belgium". Scottish Football Association. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017. Anna Signeul made a further change on the 64th minute, replacing one debutant with another, as the impressive Vaila Barsley made way for Sophie Howard.
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