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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 commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – 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 flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with cheeks puffed and a massive grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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 big step.

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

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

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

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football was the choice.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said 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 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 mirroring 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.

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to bring her to the top flight.

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

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

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

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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 is.

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

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “been here for years” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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