Lily Yohannes

About

Lilian Isabella Yohannes (born June 12, 2007) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for French Première Ligue club Lyon and the United States national team.

Yohannes was born in Springfield, Virginia to Eritrean parents. She moved to the Netherlands when she was ten years old after her father Daniel accepted a job in Amsterdam. She started her early education at the international school of Almere. Yohannes played youth soccer in the Netherlands and began training weekly with Ajax when she was 13 years old.

At age 15, Yohannes signed a three-year contract with Ajax in April 2023, lasting through June 2026. On November 15, 2023, aged 16, she became the youngest player ever to start a UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match and the youngest American to play in the competition. Ajax won 2–0 over Paris Saint-Germain. Yohannes was named player of the match in Ajax’s 2–1 victory over AS Roma on January 30, 2024.
Yohannes received the Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year award for the 2023–24 Eredivisie season, given to a top player under the age of 20. In her first season in the top Dutch league, she scored 5 goals…