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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” remarked England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

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

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – early in a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless 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

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 big step.

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

“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 seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

It may have been Southampton who “developed” Kendall, but a big decision aged 15 proved decisive to her future.

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained 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.”

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.

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

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

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

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” admitted Wiegman.

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

The midfielder was influential, later hitting the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

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

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“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.”

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

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

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 “humble” Kendall conducts herself.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of 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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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