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

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

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a 2-0 victory 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.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, with a look of disbelief and mobbed by her team-mates, a broad smile spread across her face.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, rising through their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

Consequently, scoring at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an incredible experience.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a big decision at the age of 15 proved crucial 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 presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a October media conference.

“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol 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 highlighted the discipline 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.

“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.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting 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.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

The England manager wants to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

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

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall settled as if she’d always been there.

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