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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of utter disbelief.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to pick one of the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

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

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. 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 known for his goalscoring ability – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

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.

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

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

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” admitted Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

The midfielder was influential, later hitting the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted 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 gave me a great foundation.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

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