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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” remarked England boss Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – during the opening stages of a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a huge grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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

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

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

“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.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a October 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is embarking on her own path with similar attacking instincts.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and dedication to become a star.

Southampton kept 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.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” said 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 came off 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 stood me in really good stead.

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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”.

The England manager aims to safeguard 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 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.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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