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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly 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 perfect knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place shaped 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

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

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

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall said in a October 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.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder renowned for his goalscoring talent – and Kendall has begun her career in a similar fashion.

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

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to bring her to the top flight.

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

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” noted 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, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost setting up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

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

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.

“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.”

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

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

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

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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