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

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

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she quipped, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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

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

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

“It felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

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 took off. Football was the choice.

“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 realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is starting her own path with similar attacking instincts.

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

The second-tier club held on to 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.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular 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,” noted 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, 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.

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the enthusiastic 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 was crucial.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [the next step].

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of the media saying she was keen to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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