Sophie Elizabeth Bradley (born 5 May 1989) is an English female international football defender. A centre–back, she currently plays her club football for Lincoln Ladies.

Club career

Bradley began her career at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest L.F.C.

Nottingham Forest Ladies Football Club is an English women's football club affiliated with Nottingham Forest F.C.. They were promoted to the Women's Premier League in 2008 after winning the Northern Division and currently play their home matches at Carlton Town's Bill Stokeld Stadium.The first...

, before joining Leeds United

Leeds United L.F.C.

Leeds United Ladies Football Club are an English women's football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. They compete in the FA Women's Premier League National Division for the 2009–10 season and are one of two Yorkshire teams in the FA Women's Premier League National Division, along with...

 in 2006. She became a regular in her first season and helped Leeds to the FA Women's Premier League Cup final in March 2007. Bradley, aged 17, was named Player of the Match in Leeds' narrow defeat at Glanford Park

Glanford Park

Glanford Park is a football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and the current home of Scunthorpe United. It is the smallest stadium by capacity in the Championship ....

. In 2007–08 Leeds reached the FA Women's Cup

FA Women's Cup

The Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier...

 final, played in Bradley's home town of Nottingham

Nottingham

Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

. The Whites were beaten 4–1 by Arsenal

Arsenal L.F.C.

Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...

.

Bradley progressed to captain Leeds to their 2010 Premier League Cup win over Everton

Everton L.F.C.

Everton Ladies Football Club are a semi-professional women's association football team from the city of Liverpool, who compete in the FA WSL. They were runners-up to Arsenal in the 2009–10 Premier League National Division season. They have won the title once in 1998 and the FA Women's Cup on...

, having scored in the semi-final win over Chelsea

Chelsea L.F.C.

Chelsea Ladies Football Club are a semi-professional English women's football club affiliated with Chelsea F.C.. They have competed in the top tier of women's football in England, the Premier League National Division, since 2005...

. In August 2010 Bradley signed a contract with FA WSL club Lincoln Ladies. She was instrumental in persuading several Leeds team mates to join her at Lincoln. At the end of the WSL season she returned to Nottingham Forest on loan.

International career

Bradley represented England

England women's national football team

The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...

 at youth level and captained the Under–19s. She made her senior debut in August 2010, against Austria

Austria women's national football team

The Austria women's national football team represents Austria in international women's football.The team is made up mainly of players from the Austrian and German Women's Bundesligas. As yet the team has never qualified for any major tournament .-World Cup record:-Current squad:- External links :*...

, as a half-time substitute for Faye White

Faye White

Faye Deborah White, MBE is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal Ladies in the FA Women's Super League and the England women's national football team as a central defender...

.

Bradley was named to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, and appeared as a late substitute for White in the 1–1 draw with Mexico

Mexico women's national football team

The Mexico women's national football team represents Mexico in international women's football competition and is controlled by the Mexican Football Federation. In the 1970s, the team gained popularity, with Mexico finishing 3rd in a unofficial Women's World Cup held in Italy...

 and the 2–1 win over New Zealand. She started the final group match with Japan

Japan women's national football team

The Japan women's national football team, or Nadeshiko Japan , is a selection of the best female players in Japan and is run by the Japan Football Association . Japan defeated the U.S...

, playing the full 90 minutes of England's 2–0 win. With Faye White restored to the line–up, Bradley was an unused substitute as England were eliminated by France

France women's national football team

The French women's national football team represents France in international women's football. The team is directed by the French Football Federation and competes as a member of UEFA in various international football tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA Women's Euro, the Summer...

 at the quarter final stage.

Personal life

In 2007 Bradley won a scholarship to the FA development centre at Loughborough University

Loughborough University

Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...

, through the government Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme. In August 2008 the British Olympic Association

British Olympic Association

The British Olympic Association is the national Olympic committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, and at that time consisted of seven national governing body members from the following sports: fencing, life-saving, cycling, skating, rowing,...

 took 152 young athletes including Bradley to the Olympic Games

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

 in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

.

Although paid by Lincoln and possessing an England central contract worth £16,000 per year, Bradley maintained her part–time job in a care home while playing in the WSL.

External links

• Sophie Bradley at The FA website
• Sophie Bradley at Leeds Carnegie Ladies
• Sophie Bradley at the FIFA website