Lilian Isabella Yohannes (born June 12, 2007) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Dutch club Ajax of the Vrouwen Eredivisie and the United States national team. Born in the United States, she moved to the Netherlands at age ten.[4]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Lilian Isabella Yohannes[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | June 12, 2007||
Place of birth | Springfield, Virginia, U.S. | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Ajax | ||
Number | 20 | ||
Youth career | |||
2023 | Ajax | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2023– | Ajax | 20 | (5) |
International career‡ | |||
2024– | United States | 1 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 4, 2024 |
Early life
editYohannes was born in Springfield, Virginia, to Eritrean Parents. She moved to the Netherlands when she was ten years old after her father accepted a job in Amsterdam. Yohannes played youth soccer in the Netherlands and began training weekly with Ajax when she was 13 years old.[5]
Club career
editAt age 15, Yohannes signed a three-year professional contract through June 2026 with AFC Ajax.[5] On November 15, 2023, aged 16, she became the youngest player to ever to start a UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match and the youngest American to play in the Champions League.[6] Ajax went on to win 2–0 over Paris Saint-Germain with goals from Tiny Hoekstra at the 34th minute and Sherida Spitse at the first minute of injury time during the first half.[7]
International career
editYohannes trained with the United States youth national team at the under-15 and under-16 level in 2022.[8][9]
In December 2023, Yohannes attended camp with the Dutch under-19 national team.[6]
In March 2024, at age 16, Yohannes received her first senior United States national team call-up ahead of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. She became the youngest player to be called in to a senior camp since 16-year-old Sophia Smith in 2017.[10] She made her international debut on June 4, 2024, against South Korea. She entered the game in the 72nd minute and scored her first goal in the 82nd minute.[11] At 16 years and 358 days old, Yohannes became the third-youngest goal scorer in USWNT history.[12] Later that month, she was not selected to the United States roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[13]
As of April 2024, Yohannes is applying for Dutch citizenship, which would make her eligible to play for the Dutch national team. She remains able to change national teams because her USWNT debut appearance was in a friendly.[14]
Personal life
editYohannes is of Eritrean descent.[15] Her maternal grandfather, Bokretsion Gebrehiwot, was a member of Eritrea's national soccer team. Her older brother, Aethan, has appeared with the United States' under-15 and under-17 national teams and currently plays college soccer at Wake Forest.
Career statistics
editInternational
edit- As of match played June 4, 2024
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
United States | |||
2024 | 1 | 1 | |
Total | 1 | 1 |
- Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Yohannes goal.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | June 4, 2024 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | South Korea | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Honors
editUnited States
References
edit- ^ "UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/2024 – Booking List before Quarter-finals, 2nd leg" (PDF). UEFA. March 21, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "Lily Yohannes" (in Dutch). AFC Ajax. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "Lily Yohannes". United States Soccer Federation. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Abdullah, Abdullah (December 13, 2023). "'An incredible feeling': USWNT prospect Lily Yohannes on life in UWCL, Ajax at age 16 – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ a b "Lily Yohannes, a 16-year-old American, is playing in the Champions League. Is U.S. Soccer watching?". Yahoo Sports. November 22, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ a b "Meet Lily Yohannes, the 16-year-old American making Champions League history". Pro Soccer Wire. December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Ajax Amsterdam 2–0 Paris Saint-Germain (Nov 15, 2023) Commentary". ESPN. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Under-15 Women's Youth National Team To Hold First Training Camp Under New Head Coach Katie Schoepfer". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Under-16 Women's Youth National Team Set To Gather At Nike Headquarters In Portland, Oregon". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Kilgore Names 23-Player Roster For 2024 SheBelieves Cup, Presented by Visa". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "USWNT vs. South Korea score, live updates: Emma Hayes continues final prep for Olympics in second game".
- ^ Abnos, Alexander; Yang, Steph. "Yohannes, 16, becomes third-youngest USWNT scorer". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ Vertelney, Seth (June 26, 2024). "Hayes: Yohannes still undecided on international future after USWNT Olympic omission". Pro Soccer Wire. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
- ^ Griffin, Tamerra (April 3, 2024). "Who is Lily Yohannes? The 16-year-old USWNT goal-scorer breaking through at Ajax". The Athletic. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ Griffin, Tamerra. "At 16, USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes is right on time". The New York Times.
- ^ "2024 Shebelieves Cup final USWNT vs Canada result". U.S. Soccer. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
External links
edit- Lily Yohannes at Soccerway.com
- Lily Yohannes at WorldFootball.net
- Lily Yohannes at kicker (in German)
- Lily Yohannes at FBref.com