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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” said England coach Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, with a look of disbelief and mobbed by her team-mates, a broad smile appeared on her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

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

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England cap, it was the stuff of dreams.

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

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.

The gifted youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually 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 said in a recent 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture 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.

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

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

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

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless demeanour.

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

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while understanding the importance of the collective.

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

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