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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

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

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a huge grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, coming through their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to 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 made me into the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a important decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football won out.

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

“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. 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 echoing 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 commitment to become a star.

Southampton kept their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her to the WSL.

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a regular 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, hitting 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.

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

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.

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

“I knew that I had to go in [to England] and prove why I should be playing at this level. The speed of the game is quicker and it was like going up a division.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Kendall has made an instant impression at international level, with pundits stating she has just “has the quality” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

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

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

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

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