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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” noted England boss Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

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

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. 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 consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

It may have been Southampton who “shaped” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved pivotal to her future.

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football was the choice.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a previous 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 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 ability – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology highlighted the focus and ambition needed to excel.

The second-tier club retained 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 limelight.

In a matter of months, Kendall has quickly risen, 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,” 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.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking 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 acclaim, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that stood me in really good stead.

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an instant impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “has the quality” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part 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