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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” said England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was almost identical.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she quipped, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of utter disbelief.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

“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 appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

The gifted youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of 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 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 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 prowess – and Kendall has begun her career in a comparable fashion.

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

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

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.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” 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.”

Her performance was eye-catching; she struck the woodwork and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

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”.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that was incredibly beneficial.

“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 knew that I had to go in [to England] and prove why I should be playing at this level. The speed of the game is quicker and it was like going up a division.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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

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