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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was almost identical.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with cheeks puffed and a massive grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and making 103 games before joining Villa in July.

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

“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.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.

The gifted youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to pick one of the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a previous 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 renowned for his goalscoring ability – and Kendall has started out in a comparable fashion.

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

Southampton kept their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a starting spot 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,” said Wiegman.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking 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 boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and consistent playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

Wiegman is keen to shield 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 is.

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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “been here for years” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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