The UWCL Breakthrough Player Award presented to Lily Yohannes

On Saturday 12 September, during the first home match, Lily Yohannes was presented with the UEFA Women’s Champions League Breakthrough Player of the Season award for the 2025–2026 season.

A Successful European Experience

Lily Yohannes played a key role in Lyonnes European campaign. She quickly established herself as a central figure in Jonatan Giráldez’s system and proved decisive on three occasions in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Lily particularly stood out on the second matchday of the group stage, scoring with a 40-meter strike that looped over the St. Pölten goalkeeper. In the quarterfinal second leg against Wolfsburg, she scored the opening goal of the match, giving Lyonnes a perfect start after their loss in the first leg. Having started in 10 of the 11 matches played, the American shone throughout the competition with OL Lyonnes. Lily Yohannes succeeded Melchie Dumornay by being named “Breakthrough Player of the 2025–2026 Season” by the panel of UEFA technical observers.