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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “a staple” of Southampton for a decade, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a major move.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall said.

“It appeared as though it was fate. 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 keen cricketer – her dad Will represented 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 presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a previous 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.”

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 showcased the discipline and dedication needed to excel.

The second-tier club retained 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.

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

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” 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.”

The midfielder had a lively game, later hitting the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

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

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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 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

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

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 is.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen 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 “been here for years” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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