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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, exhaling deeply and mobbed by her team-mates, a wide smile spread across her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, rising through their academy and playing 103 games before joining Villa in July.

Consequently, netting at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an magical experience.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

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

“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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol 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 drive and commitment to become a star.

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 fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

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

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.

Exiting the pitch to applause, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

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 was incredibly beneficial.

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

“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

Her seamless transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and natural demeanour.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall integrated as if she’d been a long-term member.

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