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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

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

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will represented 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 an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said in a recent media conference.

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is mirroring that goalscoring trend.

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree indicated the mental fortitude and dedication required for the top level.

The second-tier club held on to her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa acted quickly to put her in the Women's Super League arena.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a very brief period.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” 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 teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

She was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “has it”.

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is confident due to Kendall’s grounded and focused attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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

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