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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly 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 joked, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of pure joy.

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 major move.

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

“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 felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football won out.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented 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 realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder known for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the drive and commitment to become a star.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” noted Wiegman.

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

The midfielder had a lively game, later rattling the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late 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 commented, “The trust and regular playing time I received from 16 proved vital.

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a natural midfielder who “has it”.

While mindful of shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s grounded and focused attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall settled as if she’d been a long-term member.

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