17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes has made it official: She’s joining the red, white and blue.
The young, exciting midfielder, who had been deciding between representing the United States and the Netherlands at the international level, announced Monday that she was officially committing to the U.S. women’s national team.
“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,” Yohannes wrote in a post on social media.
Yohannes was born in Virginia, but moved to the Netherlands when she was 10 years old with her family. She has trained with both the U.S. and Dutch youth national teams in the past few years, and signed a contract with Dutch club Ajax at age 15.
The teen phenom received her first USWNT call-up in March, ahead of the SheBelieves Cup — the youngest player to receive a senior call-up since Sophia Smith. Yohannes was called up again in June, making her international debut in a friendly against South Korea on June 4, where she scored a stunning goal just 10 minutes after subbing in.
Despite this, Yohannes was still free to choose between the two countries since the game was a friendly. As recently as April, Yohannes told The Athletic that she was in the process of applying for Dutch citizenship, which would make her officially eligible to join the Netherlands. But in the end, she will join Emma Hayes and the United States as the team moves into a new era of success.
Yohannes, who has built herself as a consistent starting midfielder at Ajax, is an incredibly talented player, known for her ability to maneuver the ball through tight spaces and her vision on the field. Plus, she scores some absolutely outrageous bangers.
Right now, the USWNT has a rotation of incredible forwards, and one of the best defenses in the world. But a boost at midfield might be exactly what the team needs moving forward. Most of the midfielders who have recently received call-ups have been young up-and-comers, meaning that there is a good chance for Yohannes to come in and shine.
The United States will close out 2024 by traveling to Europe for friendlies against England and the Netherlands — the team’s first friendlies outside the U.S. since January 2023. Hayes will likely announce the next roster in a few weeks, and will now have one more young, talented midfielder to choose from.
