Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, 16, has been named to the U.S. women’s national team roster for the SheBelieves Cup.
Yohannes becomes the youngest USWNT call-up since 2017, when a 16-year-old Sophia Smith was named to the team’s roster for a pair of friendlies against Russia.
Yohannes has become a regular starter for Ajax this season, making history as the youngest player to ever start a UEFA Women’s Champions League match, and the youngest American to ever play in the UEFA Champions League — men’s or women’s.
“We’ve been following her for quite a long time,” USWNT head coach Twila Kilgore told the media after the roster was released. “She’s played many, many games at Ajax, including Champions League games, which I think the public is more familiar with but we’re also able to follow along in the league.”
“Lily is somebody that can play the six, eight or 10,” Kilgore added. “She does for her club. And while we look to deepen the player pool with those that can play in a variety of different roles within the midfield positions, she’s somebody that comes to mind. We had the space and availability in camp to bring her in, and this was the right time to do so.”
The teenager’s international future has become a topic of much discussion in recent months. Yohannes was born in Virginia, and moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10 years old. In February, Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker claimed that Yohannes wanted to play for the Dutch national team when she became a citizen.
Yohannes has been called into camps with the U.S. at the U-15 and U-16 level, and also attended a Netherlands U-19 camp this year as a guest player.
With the midfielder not yet eligible for the Netherlands, she has now taken a big step toward a future with the country of her birth — though she will still remain eligible for both countries after the SheBelieves Cup.
FIFA rules allow players to file a one-time switch to a new country if they have played no more than three competitive matches at senior level prior to turning 21. Pro Soccer Wire has confirmed that SheBelieves Cup games do not count as competitive matches for the purposes of FIFA’s rules.
Kilgore noted that while Yohannes wasn’t yet eligible to play for the Netherlands, accepting a call from the USWNT was a positive step toward securing her long-term international future.
“I think we offered Lily an invitation to this camp and she accepted and that’s a pretty big statement,” Kilgore said. “I think that she’s prepared to come in and do whatever is asked of her.”
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