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

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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 stated.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a major decision aged 15 proved pivotal to her future.

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football won out.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented in a previous 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is following that goalscoring trend.

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

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has quickly risen, securing a regular place in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” noted Wiegman.

“Things have gone so quickly so fast, but she just keeps up her levels and shows she is a good player - and that is impressive.”

The midfielder had a lively game, later rattling the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a loud reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take 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

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a natural midfielder who “gets it”.

Wiegman is eager to shield her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “grounded” Kendall is.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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