17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, the youngest player on the U.S. women`s national team roster, recently returned to the location where she made her debut and scored her first USWNT goal almost a year ago.
Starting in a friendly against China at Allianz Field in Minnesota, where the Stars and Stripes secured a 3-0 victory with goals from Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey, and Lindsey Horan, Yohannes served effectively as a dual outlet, aiding ball progression and proving vital in maintaining possession.
She finished second on the team in total recoveries during the match with seven. Both Coffey and Yohannes were instrumental in controlling the midfield tempo, effectively neutralizing China`s high press attempts. This performance represents another positive step in the development of the young defensive midfielder.
As Head Coach Emma Hayes completes her first year in charge, Lily Yohannes` trajectory with the team could be seen as either perfect timing or fortunate happenstance. Regardless, the talented teenager is only just beginning her journey.
“I thought Sam [Coffey] was superb. I thought Lily [Yohannes] grew into the game,” Hayes commented post-match. She highlighted their roles as “low support players” when the ball moved wide, noting, “I thought they connected really well with wide players and their rotations out to get on the ball in the lowest spots was really good. But I think the team chemistry, the team cohesion has improved a lot this camp.”
Yohannes has quickly emerged as one of the most thrilling young prospects in women`s soccer. Her performances for both the USWNT and her Dutch club Ajax have showcased elite playmaking ability and maturity rarely seen in a player her age. A technically proficient midfielder, she is anticipated to be a regular fixture on national team rosters heading into the 2027-28 international cycle.
During her pre-match press availability, Hayes stated, “I keep saying to everyone, she`s 17. She`s still got a couple of years of experience as a professional. I think the next two years of development will be important for her.” She praised Yohannes` club environment, adding, “I think it`s been an unbelievable development pathway for her to be at Ajax. That, for me, has, I think, advanced her positional play in a way that makes her stand out beyond her years.”
While not yet a consistent starter, Yohannes has already captured attention in Europe for her vision, composure, and tactical astuteness. At just 16, she became the youngest player ever to start a UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match. She also holds the distinction of being the eighth-youngest player to debut for the USWNT and the third-youngest to score for the senior national team.
Part of the discussion surrounding Yohannes last year centered on her eligibility for either the United States or the Netherlands. Born in Virginia, she moved with her family to Europe in 2017, where she developed through the Ajax academies before signing a full professional contract with the first team in 2023.
She received her initial call-up to the USWNT during Emma Hayes` first official matches as head coach in June 2024. That following November, the teenage midfielder formally committed her international future to the United States national team.
In a social media post last year, Yohannes expressed gratitude, stating, “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the United States and Dutch Football Federations for their unwavering support and patient guidance as I made my decision regarding my international future. Their dedication and encouragement have been invaluable, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to both Federations.” She continued, “After much consideration, I have decided to commit to represent my country, the United States. The U.S. is my homeland, my birthplace, and where my extended family resides. These strong connections have driven me to honor my roots and proudly commit to U.S. Soccer. I am excited and eager to continue putting in the work and earn my place on the U.S. Women`s National Team.”
Since the beginning of 2025, Yohannes has been included in every senior national team roster, participating in January camps, the SheBelieves Cup, and recent summer friendlies. She now has six international appearances and one goal (from her debut). However, Hayes is managing her integration carefully, emphasizing patience to ensure her continued development at the international level, even as her profile grows.
Commenting on her growth, Hayes noted, “She`s physically developed in the last 12 months, tactically, in possession. When she plays for her club team, they generally have the ball against sort of mid to low blocks. So, I think she`s developed that side of her play.” She added that playing high-level opponents like Brazil and Japan “will serve her well in the future. But as I always keep saying, she`s got a lot of development to do. I think it will be up and down, and I think they will see really good moments, and I think we`ll see different moments. I think it`s what you can expect from a 17-year-old.”
Hayes further praised her character, stating, “She`s got unbelievable maturity and coachability, and someone who I know is going to become an important part of our program, but I`m invested in that development, and we have to be patient with that, considering her tender age and her lack of international and high-level experience.”
As Yohannes gains valuable experience across both the UWCL and with the USWNT, she is actively learning from her surroundings. She credits all her USWNT teammates for their positive influence and specifically points to captain Lindsey Horan and forward Catarina Macario as key examples.
Yohannes shared, “Everybody is really helpful and has made my joining the team so much easier. I would say from Lindsey [Horan], to Cat [Macario]. Literally, I can name so many players, all the experienced players, they`ve been here for so long, so they know how it is coming in as a first-timer. Now that I`ve been in camp for a little while, I think I`ve grown my comfortability, I would say, and I`m just trying to continue to grow.”
What truly distinguishes Yohannes is her remarkable maturity. Despite her youth, she exhibits the composure of a veteran player, rarely appearing flustered in possession and consistently making intelligent decisions. This quality has quickly earned her trust at both club and international levels.
Her playing style is characterized by an elite passing range and an ability to control the pace of the game. Comfortable in both deep-lying and more advanced midfield positions, she excels at breaking defensive lines with precise through balls and retaining possession even when under pressure.
During Ajax`s 2023-24 UEFA Women`s Champions League campaign, she demonstrated her fearlessness against top European opposition, showing a knack for finding pockets of space and effectively linking play between defense and attack. Her assist in Ajax`s win over Roma, where she forced a turnover and initiated a scoring sequence, highlighted her capability to unlock stubborn defenses with a single decisive pass.
Captain Lindsey Horan commented, “I think it`s one thing to do what she`s doing in clubs at Ajax and playing in Champions League, but to come into the international level, I think it`s always like a different environment, a different step up, but I think she`s fit in seamlessly. And I think you guys have all seen how special she can be, and she`s just a different kind of footballer than maybe we`re used to, and seeing a lot of special qualities. So, I`m really proud of what she`s doing. But I mean, she`s still 17 years old, so we`ve got a lot more to come.”
Team vice-captain Naomi Girma, returning to the national team for the first time this year, is familiar with the experience of a rapidly rising profile. After being drafted by San Diego in the 2022 NWSL Draft, her outstanding performances as a centerback quickly earned her Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year honors, leading to her inclusion on the 2023 USWNT World Cup roster.
While the parallels are only somewhat similar – the next World Cup is two full years away – Yohannes` role and presence could significantly evolve over that period. It is not an unreasonable prediction that she could secure a spot on that World Cup roster as a 20-year-old if her development trajectory continues.
Girma observed, “I think she`s grown so much in the past year. She came in as a young player, but she seemed like she had been playing with us for a while, and you could tell she just has that calm and that sense of confidence on the ball too. So, I think that`s such a good trait to have in a midfielder.”
“She`s just level-headed,” Girma added. “And I feel like, as much as she`s rising, she`s still very much herself. It`s really great to see someone like her doing so well and really establishing herself in the team.”
