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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” remarked England boss Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a win 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.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

Consequently, scoring at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an unbelievable moment.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

The gifted youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a previous 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 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 following that goalscoring trend.

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

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

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

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

She came off after an hour to a cheer 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 trust and regular playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“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

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

The England manager wants to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

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 “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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