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

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

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

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a previous 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.

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

Her rapid progress 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,” 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, hitting 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.

Having netted 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [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

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

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing 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.

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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