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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a huge grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall said.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a October 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa secured her signature to the WSL.

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a regular place 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,” 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, hitting 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.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted her deep connection to the club and city.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “The faith and consistent playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

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 sitting in front of 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 “was an old hand” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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