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

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

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

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for a decade, where she progressed from the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a major move.

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

“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.

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

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

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder known for his goalscoring talent – and Kendall has begun her career in a like fashion.

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology demonstrated the discipline and ambition needed to excel.

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

Within months the Winchester-born player has made a name for herself, becoming a regular 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,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and coming close to providing an assist 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.

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.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

Wiegman is keen 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.

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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