OL Lyonnes and USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes paid tribute to international teammate Naomi Girma for the example she has set on and off the pitch, emphasising the importance of their shared roots in East Africa.
Yohannes, 19, was born in Springfield, Virginia, to Eritrean parents. Her maternal grandfather, Bokretsion Gebrehiwot, played for Ethiopia long before Eritrea’s 1993 declaration of independence. Meanwhile, Chelsea centre-back Girma was born in San Jose, California to Ethiopian parents.
Girma, now 26, previously expressed excitement at having “two Habeshas on the national team”. The term “Habesha” refers mostly to the Ethio Semitic-speaking highland populations of Ethiopia and Eritrea and/or the diasporas of the two countries.
In response to ESPN at a virtual press conference, Yohannes said: “Yeah, Naomi, is not only a great player, but also a great person and a good friend of mine.
“Obviously, with us playing together on the national team, I think we both know how much our culture means to us.
“Like she said, two Habeshas playing in the Champions League in two of the biggest clubs in Europe, in the world – I think that’s very exciting to see… It tests you in so many different ways.
“I guess that’s how special it is playing against different opponents and challenging yourself to play against the best teams in the world.
“I love playing in this competition and it’s very nice to have another American — and many other Americans — playing in this competition.”
Girma missed out on a reunion with Yohannes when Chelsea drew 0-0 to OL on Sep. 30. It remains the only match in any competition this season to date that the French champions have not won by at least three goals.
Life could have been very different for Yohannes, whose family moved to Amsterdam when she was 10. She progressed through the youth ranks at Ajax and chose the USWNT despite having attended a Netherlands U19 camp and also being eligible to play for Eritrea at the time.
Yohannes became the third-youngest goalscorer in USWNT history at 16 years old against South Korea in 2024 — one week before her 17th birthday.
After Wednesday’s clash with Juventus, Yohannes’ OL will have a point to prove in the Nov. 19 game against Arsenal – for whom USWNT defender Emily Fox has been in strong form.
In 2024-25, Arsenal had knocked Lyonnes out at the same stage (the semi-finals) en route to the title.
OL remain the most successful team in UWCL history with eight titles, but their last was in 2021-22 and Arsenal are one of several teams capable of competing with Jonatan Giráldez’s side.
Yohannes said: “I think [past clashes are] obviously something you think about, but we know that it doesn’t really mean a whole lot for this season. It’s a new season.
“The team – I feel like we’ve made steps and we’ve grown a lot since then. I think there’s changes on their sides from Juve and Arsenal as well.
“So, I think it’s hard to compare from this season to last season, but we know that they’re two great teams.
“We have to come ready and we have to prepare well, like we always do and also have confidence in our abilities and in the way that we are playing.
“We’re going into these two games knowing that it’s going to be a tough matchup, but we have confidence in ourselves and we’re going to come for it.”
Yohannes has cause for quiet confidence and perhaps more, having scored a long-range stunner in a 6-0 win over Inter two weeks ago and finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings for Women’s Young Talent of the Year.
The first-place vote of Alex Morgan — who played her last USWNT game in the 3-0 South Korea win which saw Yohannes score in 2024 and also had a stint with OL — was particularly important to the teenage sensation.
“I think it’s really amazing. Alex – I’ve been lucky enough to be in national team camps and play with her,” Yohannes said.
“She’s such a legend of the game, a legend for the national team. So, to have someone like her vote for me as one on the Kopa Trophy, I think is really special.
“I’m really grateful for her and for the time that I’ve been able to spend with her in camps and seeing her in action. She’s someone who I looked up to as a kid and to get that recognition from her means a lot.”
With 22 USWNT caps and 24 UWCL appearances under her belt already aged 19, Yohannes is well on her way towards building her own long-lasting legacy in women’s football among many of the stars she dreamed of emulating.
ESPN Africa airs the UEFA Women’s Champions League on DStv channels 218 and 219, as well as on Disney+ in South Africa. For more information on how to watch, click here.
