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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” remarked England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she quipped, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after graduating from the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt extraordinarily special.

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a significant choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a October 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 childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is following 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 fought 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 rapidly ascended, securing a starting spot in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” admitted Wiegman.

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She came off 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 noted, “The faith and consistent playing time I received from 16 proved vital.

“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

Kendall has made an instant impression at international level, with pundits stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

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