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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she added, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, coming through their academy and playing 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall said.

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a October media conference.

“Growing up, I had a passion for cricket. The decision was genuinely tough. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree was evidence of the mental fortitude and commitment required for the top level.

The second-tier club held on to her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa pounced to put her in the Women's Super League spotlight.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” admitted 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 was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“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 pundits stating she has just “understands the game” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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 stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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