Lily Yohannes On Developing At Ajax, Moving To Lyon, And A ‘surreal’ Us Debut

Lily Yohannes wastes nary time. The 18-year-old scored connected her world debut for nan US astatine property 16 past year, having go a starter for Ajax earlier that. Now, pinch a move to European powerfulness OL Lyonnes complete nan summer, Yohannes scored a extremity and was named subordinate of nan lucifer successful her debut for nan club, a 3-1 triumph complete Olympique Marseille.

Born successful Springfield, Virginia, to Eritrean parents, Yohannes was 10 erstwhile she moved to Europe aft her begetter accepted a occupation successful Amsterdam. She played connected an amateur boys’ squad and quickly earned nan attraction of Ajax, who signed her to their younker academy astatine 13 years old.

“You person to make sacrifices to play astatine nan highest level … I’ve had a different puerility than others, but I deliberation I’ve recovered a bully equilibrium betwixt having that dedication to my football, arsenic good arsenic enjoying my life extracurricular of football,” Yohannes told nan Guardian US successful an exclusive question and reply earlier nan season’s start. “From nan infinitesimal I joined Ajax, I could consciousness nan level of detail, really they effort to instrumentality nan style of play of Ajax and nan philosophy, and I deliberation that’s thing that’s pushed my crippled some tactically and technically. I’m conscionable really grateful to Ajax for my improvement complete nan years.”

Yohannes was 15 erstwhile she became nan youngest player, antheral aliases female, to motion a master statement pinch Ajax. Seven months later, she became nan youngest subordinate to commencement a Uefa Women’s Champions League group shape lucifer and nan youngest American to play successful nan competition. Two months aft that, Yohannes was named subordinate of nan lucifer successful a 2-0 triumph against Roma successful nan Champions League. She excelled connected nan home and world beforehand and received nan Johan Cruyff talent of nan twelvemonth grant for nan 2023–24 season, fixed to nan champion U-20 subordinate of nan Vrouwen Eredivisie campaign. Yohannes racked up 5 goals and 4 assists successful 20 matches, helping Ajax decorativeness 2nd and hit Fortuna Sittard successful nan KNVB Women’s Cup final.

It wasn’t agelong earlier nan United States and nan Netherlands were inundating her pinch offers to play for their nationalist team, pinch Yohannes yet choosing to correspond nan state wherever she grew up. When she made her debut, she was pursuing successful nan footsteps of her maternal grandfather, Bokretsion Gebrehiwot, who played for Ethiopia (which annexed Eritrea betwixt 1950 and 1993). Minutes aft entering, she peeled distant from her force and coolly slotted location to seal a 3-0 friends triumph complete South Korea. One week awkward of her 17th birthday, Yohannes became nan third-youngest goalscorer successful USWNT history.

“Wearing nan US jersey is ever specified an honor, and to people connected my debut was specified a surreal moment,” Yohannes said. “What I retrieve astir is that aft I scored, each my teammates ran towards maine to celebrate. To stock that pinch them, my family, and my friends, it’s thing I’ll ne'er forget.”

She continued to excel for Ajax while besides graduating from precocious school. Her performances for Ajax attracted nan liking of OL Lyonnes, who signed her to a three-year woody connected 7 July. In nan abstraction of conscionable a fewer years, Yohannes went from being different American overseas to an important signing for 1 of nan astir powerful teams successful women’s soccer.

“When Lyon showed their interest, I was really excited. What they’ve done complete nan years, what they’ve won, they’ve pushed nan women’s crippled further successful France and connected nan European shape by showing their dominance,” Yohannes said. “Obviously, you person to accommodate to nan alteration successful environment, but my teammates and unit are helping maine settee in, and I’m enjoying playing pinch truthful galore world-class players who I tin study from. Lyon is simply a very eager nine and is known for winning, truthful I want to beryllium a portion of that and triumph arsenic galore titles arsenic I can.”

It’s clear to spot why Yohannes is regarded arsenic 1 of nan apical young talents successful football. She glides successful and retired of congested areas pinch nan grace and dexterity of a seasoned midfielder, she tin spot a subordinate 50 yards up and prime her retired pinch an inch-perfect done ball, and she has nan intelligence and anticipation to find an inch of abstraction earlier uncorking a powerful shot.

“I tin picture myself arsenic a composed, imaginative midfielder,” Yohannes said. “I really for illustration to beryllium progressive successful nan play and get connected nan shot and thief dictate and administer nan shot … Every day, I’m conscionable trying to perpetually activity connected nan mini specifications to amended my game.”

More than anything, though, she ne'er shrinks from nan biggest occasions, but alternatively sets an illustration for her teammates pinch her diligent activity complaint and measured risk-taking connected and disconnected nan ball. It’s this fiery competitory small heart that has taken her to nan zenith of nan women’s game, and which has been processing ever since she was a woman successful Virginia playing pinch her dada successful 2v2 games against her elder brothers (who some play nine shot successful nan Netherlands).

“I’ve ever been chasing aft them and trying to hit them. They’re older than me, bigger than me, truthful I’ve ever had that competitiveness to want to win, moreover erstwhile it was tough,” she said. “We ever train together and push each other, and we want to spot each different do well.”

OL Lyonnes are France’s ruling unit successful women’s soccer, winning a grounds 8 women’s Champions League titles and finishing atop nan Première Ligue successful 18 of nan past 19 seasons. Now, they pursuit a 5th consecutive title nether caller head Jonatan Giráldez, erstwhile head of Barcelona Women and nan Washington Spirit.

“Jonatan is really making his style of play clear, really he wants america to onslaught and take sides … nan training sessions person been high-intensity, and each week, it’s been really affirmative what we’re building,” Yohannes said.

If nan first crippled is immoderate indication, they’ll beryllium counting connected Yohannes to present nan equipment and further her meteoric progression.