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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” remarked England boss Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

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

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

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet amidst her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of utter disbelief.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and playing 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

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

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “shaped” Kendall, but a major 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 faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football was the choice.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained 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 prowess – and Kendall has begun her career in a comparable fashion.

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her to the WSL.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” noted 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 nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 provided a solid base.

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

“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

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a natural midfielder who “understands”.

Wiegman is keen to shield her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “grounded” Kendall acts.

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 was a veteran presence.

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