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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Having been “an integral part” 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 major move.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the pinnacle of her career.

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “developed” Kendall, but a major decision aged 15 proved decisive to her future.

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

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a October 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.”

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

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her 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.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said 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 struck the woodwork and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She came off after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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.

“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 immediately looked the part, described as a natural midfielder who “has it”.

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

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.

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

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