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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, rising through their academy and making 103 games before moving to Villa in July.

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 said.

“It felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

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

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree indicated the drive and dedication required for the top level.

Southampton held onto their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa secured her signature to the WSL.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a very brief period.

“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.

“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, hitting the crossbar later in the first half and almost teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

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

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.

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

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

The England manager wants to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s modest nature.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she spoke to reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while acknowledging the importance of the collective.

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

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