This past April, Yohannes accepted a senior U.S. call-up for the first time, and in early June she made her debut at age 16. Last month, she committed to the U.S. program, coincidentally just in time for the Americans to play the Netherlands in the Hague in their last game of the year on Tuesday (2:45 p.m., TNT, truTV, Universo).

The 17-year-old explains how she came to the decision to represent the United States as she returns to the Netherlands for an international friendly.

For many young players, wearing their nation’s colors on the pitch is a dream come true. While many don’t have a choice in which country they represent, that wasn’t the case for Lily Yohannes. Born in the United States,

Lily Yohannes has travelled back to the Netherlands to face the country she plays in, just days after turning down the chance to play for their national team.

After much thought, I have decided to represent my country, the United States.” These words from Lily Yohannes were music to the ears of ardent American fans. The 17-year-old starlet, who had previously been sitting on the fence about choosing her international profile between the USWNT and the Netherlands,

Seventeen-year-old U.S. midfielder Lily Yohannes said she did not feel pressure to decide on which country to represent internationally prior to the United States and the Netherlands playing each other on Tuesday.

Watching Lily Yohannes’ teammates celebrate her debut goal for the USA is to witness a wonderful example of soccer sparking pure joy.