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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

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

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

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, exhaling deeply and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile appeared on her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, coming through their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England cap, it was the material of fairy tales.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the impending 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 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.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol 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 brought her in to the WSL.

Within months the Winchester-born player has established herself, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.

“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.

“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, 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 came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming 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 was incredibly beneficial.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [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

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” 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 is.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while acknowledging the importance of the collective.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “was an old hand” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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