‘As if she had won the Champions League’ - Kendall’s special evening for England

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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, referring to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile appeared on her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England cap, it was the pinnacle of her career.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

The talented youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but ultimately had to pick one of 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 commented 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 realised 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 following that goalscoring trend.

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

The second-tier club retained 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 arena.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a very brief period.

“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.

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”.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 provided a solid base.

“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].

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of 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 integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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