Lily Shayan Nabet is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) for Angel City FC.
She is a first-generation Iranian American, born in Tarzana, California to parents who immigrated from Iran.
She earned a sociology degree from Duke and later pursued a master’s degree in business management.
She was selected 36th overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft by Angel City FC.
Her mother, Shadi, is her best friend and role model—a woman who fled religious persecution in Iran and raised Lily to value truth, compassion, and independence.
She started playing soccer at age three.
She is the first Iranian-American woman to play in a U.S. professional soccer league.
Her dad is a huge Manchester United fan — they didn’t follow Persian clubs like Persepolis or Esteghlal growing up.
Her sports role model is Kobe Bryant.
She’s open to playing for the Iranian national team, though she hasn’t been contacted by the federation yet.
While not fluent, she understands some Persian (Farsi) and is connected to her culture through food and family.
She now gets messages from Iranian-American girls saying they’re inspired by her and feel seen.
Lily with her dog.
| Year | Club | AP | GL |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2022
-
present
|
Angel City FC | 46 | 0 |
|
2017
-
2021
|
Duke Blue Devils | 86 | 2 |
| International Stats | |||
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