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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” said England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

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

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and playing 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt dreamlike.

“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 said.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she faced a choice 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.

“Growing up, I had a passion for cricket. The decision was genuinely tough. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has begun her career in a comparable fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

Southampton held onto their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa secured her signature to the WSL.

In a matter of months, Kendall has quickly risen, securing a starting spot in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” 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, 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 applause, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 provided a solid base.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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