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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

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

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

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, coming through their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

Consequently, netting at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an incredible moment.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton built her foundation, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree signaled the drive and commitment required for the top level.

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has quickly risen, securing a regular place in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” admitted 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 setting 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 enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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

“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].

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

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

While mindful of shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s grounded and professional attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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