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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – 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 flawless knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

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

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a major decision at the age of 15 proved pivotal to her future.

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

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained 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 understood 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 like fashion.

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.

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to introduce her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has made a name for herself, becoming a consistent starter 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,” 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, striking 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 loud 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 was incredibly beneficial.

“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].

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Her smooth 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.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen 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 “was an old hand” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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