The Eritrean-American midfielder's recognition adds a football chapter to a sporting story that includes Biniam Girmay's cycling achievements.
Lily Yohannes has been nominated for the 2026 Women's Young Talent of the Year at the Ballon d'Or awards, bringing fresh international recognition to a footballer with Eritrean roots.
The OL Lyonnes and United States midfielder is among five players on the shortlist announced on 8 September, alongside Veerle Buurman, Vicky López, Felicia Schröder and Clara Serrajordi. Her nomination is in the young-player category, which her club identifies as the women's Kopa Trophy.
At 19, Yohannes has already built a career across three countries. She began playing in the United States, moved to the Netherlands at ten and developed at Ajax before joining Lyon in 2025.
Her first season in France brought recognition on the pitch. UEFA named her its 2025/26 Women's Champions League Revelation of the Season after she helped Lyon reach the final. She scored twice in ten appearances, including the opening goal in the quarter-final comeback against Wolfsburg.
Her Eritrean heritage is part of that international story. “My wife and I are both Eritrean Americans,” her father, Daniel Yohannes, told Defector in April. In the same interview, he described the importance of both his family's heritage and the opportunities that helped his children advance in football.
Yohannes's nomination adds to a record of Eritrean achievement across sports. In cycling, Biniam Girmay was one of ten finalists for the 2024 men's Vélo d'Or, following a Tour de France in which he won three stages and the green jersey. The Vélo d'Or is cycling's separate award, presented by Vélo Magazine.
Their recognition gives Eritrean sporting excellence a presence across disciplines: Girmay through cycling, and Yohannes through a football career carrying her family's roots into the international game.
The Ballon d'Or winners will be announced on 26 October at the London Palladium Theatre.
