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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was almost identical.

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

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

Rising to her feet amidst her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, rising through their academy and playing 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

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

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

The gifted youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

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

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

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

The second-tier club held on to 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 spotlight.

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

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

The midfielder had a lively game, later hitting 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 ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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

“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.”

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

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

Wiegman is eager to protect 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 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 keen 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