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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – six minutes into 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 overwhelming happiness.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for a decade, where she progressed from the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a big step.

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

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football won out.

“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.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is embarking on her own path with similar attacking output.

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her to the WSL.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said 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.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that was incredibly beneficial.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a gifted midfielder who “understands”.

The England manager aims to safeguard her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing 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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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