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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” remarked England manager Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of pure joy.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a core player there after graduating from the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

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

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

A proficient 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 won out.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a previous 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.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is echoing that goalscoring trend.

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.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a very brief period.

“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.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

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 boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is confident due to Kendall’s humble and focused attitude.

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

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