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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” noted England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after scoring 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, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of pure joy.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a core player 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 return and during just her third international match felt unreal.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

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

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented in a previous 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.”

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 demonstrated the focus and dedication needed to excel.

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa swooped to put her in the Women's Super League spotlight.

In a matter of months, Kendall has quickly risen, securing a starting spot 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 nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a resounding reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

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 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 immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “understands the game” 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.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of 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.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall settled as if she’d been a long-term member.

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