Sophie Baggaley

Early career

Born in Newton, Derbyshire, Baggaley first became a goalkeeper by chance, volunteering for the position when the boys' team she was playing for found itself short of one for a game. She came through the Derby County Centre of Excellence.

Birmingham City

Baggaley moved to the Birmingham City academy in June 2013. In 2014, she was promoted to the senior team as a backup to Rebecca Spencer, named as an unused substitute for all 14 WSL matches. She made her senior debut on 1 May 2014 in a 2–1 win over Yeovil Town in the League Cup group stage and made her only other appearance of the season in the same competition against second division Oxford United. During the 2015 season, Baggaley started four WSL games, conceding only one goal to Arsenal, and grew in her role as cup keeper, playing five League Cup games. Following the departure of Spencer to Chelsea in January 2016, Baggaley began the 2016 season as the undisputed starter. However, the arrival of Germany international Ann-Katrin Berger from Paris Saint-Germain in June 2016 meant Baggaley only played in three of the remaining nine WSL fixtures that season.

Bristol City

Having been appointed Birmingham manager in December 2016, Marc Skinner announced Berger as first choice keeper and encouraged Baggaley to go out on loan to play first-team football. She joined Bristol City on a season-long loan in August 2017 ahead of the incumbent Caitlin Leach and Aimee Watson. She started 17 of 18…

Baggaley has played for the England team at every age grouping up to under 23 level. In October 2016, Baggaley was called up to the senior England national team for the first time for a friendly against Spain but was an unused substitute behind Karen Bardsley and Mary Earps. Having not been named to the next three England squads, Baggaley was recalled in April 2017 for friendlies against Italy and Austria but was again unused behind veteran Siobhan Chamberlain. Much discussion was made of the lack of chances Baggaley had for England, with Phil Neville preferring the likes of older veterans Bardsley, Earps, Chamberlain, and Carly Telford, despite some resigned to backup roles at club level. By 2019, younger goalkeepers Ellie Roebuck, Sandy MacIver, and Hannah Hampton had all also claimed starting jobs at WSL clubs and entered the England rotation ahead of Baggaley. On 6 June 2025, Baggaley was named as a standby player for UEFA Euro 2025. On 1 June 2026, Baggaley was called up for the England squad to face Spain and Ukraine for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers as a replacement for Khiara Keating.

Club

As of match played 4 October 2026

Baggaley attended Tibshelf Community School from 2009 to 2013 and later Solihull Sixth Form College, where she attained As and A*s in her A-Levels, before enrolling at the University of Birmingham to study physiotherapy. In 2019, she became an ambassador for the sports bra firm ShockAbsorber.