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Lydia Grace Yilkari Williams (born 13 May 1988) is an Australian soccer player who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Melbourne City and the Australia women's national soccer team.
Early life
Williams was born in Katanning, Western Australia to a father of Aboriginal descent and a mother from the United States.
Williams spent most of her Primary school years in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, where she attended St Josephs Primary school. Williams' family left Kalgoorlie for Canberra in 1999.
In November 2019 Williams had a children's book published. Saved!!! draws on Williams' experiences, from growing up in the desert to achieving success as an Aboriginal female football player.
Club career
After playing junior football for Tuggeranong and Woden in the Australian Capital Territory, Williams joined the Australian Institute of Sport Football Program. She joined Australian W-League team Canberra United in 2008.
In 2014, following a season-ending injury to Adrianna Franch, the Western New York Flash signed Williams to be their starting goalkeeper. She started 14 games in goal for the Western New York Flash.She recorded two shutouts in 2014 prior to tearing her ACL while participating in the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup with the Australian Women's National Team, an injury that ended her NWSL season. In September 2014, Williams was waived by Flash and was selected by Washington Spirit for the 2015 season. She was not on the roster for the Washington Spirit at the start of the season.
In January 2016, Williams was signed by the Houston Dash. On 15 October 2016, she signed a season-long loan with Melbourne City. On 31 August 2017 the Houston Dash completed a trade that sent Williams to Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL, in exchange for a 2018 2nd-round draft pick.
In October 2017, Williams commenced pre-season training with Melbourne City, re-signing with them for the 2017–18 W-League season.
After another season with Reign FC, Williams signed with Melbourne City again for the 2019-2020 season.
International career
She has represented Australia at the 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Under 20 Women's Championship.
Honours
Club
- Canberra United
- W-League Championship: 2011–12
- W-League Premiership: 2011–12, 2013–14
International
- Australia
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2006
- Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's qualification: 2007
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2007
- AFF Women's Championship: 2008
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2010
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2011
- Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's Asian Qualifiers: 2012
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2014
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2015
- AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2016
- 2016 Summer Olympics football tournament: 2016
- Algarve Cup: 2017
- Tournament of Nations: 2017
- Algarve Cup: 2018
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2018
- Tournament of Nations: 2018
- Cup of Nations: 2019
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2019
- AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2020
Individual
- W-League Goalkeeper of the Year: 2016–17
