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

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.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, rising through their academy and making 103 games before joining Villa in July.

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

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

It may have been Southampton who “developed” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved crucial to her future.

The talented youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall commented 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.”

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 work ethic and commitment 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.

Within months the Winchester-born player has made a name for herself, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“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 setting up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted her deep connection to the club and city.

Having netted 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“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 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.”

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

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 shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s humble and professional attitude.

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

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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