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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated 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 joked, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with an amazed expression and a huge grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, graduating from their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

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

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place forged 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.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

The gifted youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

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

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring talent – and Kendall has begun her career in a like fashion.

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

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a regular place 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,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She came off after an hour to a cheer 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 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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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

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

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “been here for years” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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