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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” remarked England coach Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

As the 21-year-old stood up, puffing out her cheeks and mobbed by her team-mates, a beaming smile spread across her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, rising through their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt extraordinarily special.

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

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

The talented youngster was also a accomplished 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 opted for football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” 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 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 mirroring that goalscoring trend.

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

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

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

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said Wiegman.

“Things have gone so quickly so fast, but she just keeps up her levels and shows she is a good player - and that is impressive.”

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 was substituted after an hour to a ovation 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 commented, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 proved vital.

“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

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role 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