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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

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

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she added, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England cap, 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 shaped the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.

The talented youngster was also a accomplished 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 opted for football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a October 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 known for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has started out in a like fashion.

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology highlighted the discipline and ambition 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 pounced to put her in the Women's Super League limelight.

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.

“Things have gone so quickly so fast, but she just keeps up her levels and shows she is a good player - and that is impressive.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking 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.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a resounding reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 proved vital.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take 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”.

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

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

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall integrated as if she’d been a long-term member.

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