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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for a decade, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a significant change.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt extraordinarily special.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

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

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology showcased the focus and ambition needed to excel.

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” noted Wiegman.

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted her deep connection to the club and city.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “The trust and regular playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“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

Kendall has made an instant impression at international level, with pundits 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 “humble” Kendall conducts herself.

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

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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