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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and racking up 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 unreal.

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

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

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

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a recent media conference.

“Growing up, I had a passion for cricket. The decision was genuinely tough. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised 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 echoing that goalscoring trend.

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree indicated the mental fortitude and dedication required for the top level.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” admitted Wiegman.

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

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

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

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.

“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

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and natural demeanour.

Wiegman is eager to shield her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “humble” Kendall is.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

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