FactfileSeven things to know about Sophie Roman Haug
Liverpool FC Women have added a seventh new recruit to their squad this summer with the signing of Norway forward Sophie Roman Haug.
The 24-year-old has sealed a switch to the Reds after 18 months with AS Roma Women in Italy, linking up with Matt Beard’s squad ahead of the start of the new Barclays Women’s Super League season.
Get the lowdown on the team’s new No.10 with our factfile…
A proven goalscorer. Haug arrives on Merseyside with a goalscoring record of almost one in two in league football, having netted 60 times in 134 appearances in her career to date. Forty-nine of those strikes came for LSK Kvinner in her home nation’s Toppserien division, and she maintained that prolific level with Roma, for whom she tallied 11 strikes in 25 Serie A games. Her ratio on the international stage so far is even more impressive: eight goals in 11 outings for Norway’s senior side.
She won multiple league titles in Norway. The attacker was a champion in five of the seven seasons she featured for LSK Kvinner, beginning with her breakthrough in 2015. Indeed, that was the first of five title triumphs in a row for her and the club, with Haug’s most notable contributions coming in the successes of 2017 and 2018, when she delivered 15 and 14 league goals respectively. Four of those campaigns also saw LSK Kvinner complete a double alongside the Norwegian Women’s Cup.
And then Haug was a champion in Serie A. Sophie switched to Roma in February 2022 and they went on to finish second behind Juventus that season. They would go one better in 2022-23, however, winning 22 of their 26 matches in the division and this time finishing 13 points clear of Juventus at the summit. Haug featured on 18 occasions and supplied seven goals along the way.
Sophie has represented Norway through the age groups. Her club progress has been mirrored by her recognition internationally, with the forward pulling on the shirt of her country for the U17s, U19s and U21s before taking the final step to senior level. Haug’s debut for Norway arrived in June 2022 as a substitute in a victory over Denmark and she has since appeared at Women’s Euro 2022 and the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where she started three matches as Norway reached the last 16.
Haug hit a hat-trick at the Women’s World Cup. Her time at the tournament earlier this year included a memorable hat-trick. Sophie produced the treble in Norway’s 6-0 defeat of the Philippines during the group phase, completing it in stoppage time having earlier struck twice in the first half. “I’d have to say it’s the best night of my career,” she said afterwards in Auckland. “It’s just incredible. A dream come true really.”
The forward also brings Champions League experience. Haug made 23 appearances across five campaigns in the European competition with LSK Kvinner and latterly Roma. Nine of those outings came in the 2022-23 season as Roma reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by eventual winners FC Barcelona.
You can follow Sophie on Instagram. She posts under the username @sophiehaug and has more than 10,000 followers at time of publication.