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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – during the opening stages of 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 within her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

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

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” 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.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder known for his goalscoring talent – 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.

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa swooped to put her in the Women's Super League spotlight.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL fixture 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,” noted Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a loud reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

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

“I knew that I had to go in [to England] and prove why I should be playing at this level. The speed of the game is quicker and it was like going up a division.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s humble and professional attitude.

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.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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