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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

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.

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

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Having been “a staple” of Southampton for a decade, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a significant change.

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

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “shaped” Kendall, but a major decision aged 15 proved pivotal to her future.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She went with football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained 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 understood 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.

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

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

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a consistent starter 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,” said Wiegman.

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting 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 gave me a great foundation.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take the next step.

“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 gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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 “grounded” Kendall is.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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