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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a triumph 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 got to her feet, exhaling deeply and engulfed by her team-mates, a beaming smile lit up her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for ten years; 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 return and during just her third international match felt unreal.

“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 said.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She selected football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented 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 renowned for his goalscoring talent – and Kendall has started out in a comparable fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the drive 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.

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,” 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, 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 made all the difference.

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

“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’

Her seamless transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and natural demeanour.

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

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.

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