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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” noted England manager Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she quipped, in reference to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of pure joy.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for ten years, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a big step.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her return and during just her third international match felt unreal.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved pivotal to her future.

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a October media conference.

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has begun her career in a comparable fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

Southampton kept their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost setting up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

She came off after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that stood me in really good stead.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [the next step].

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

While mindful of shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s humble and focused attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

“{This team's just gone on to win back-to