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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s joyous 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, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a huge grin.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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.

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

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

The gifted youngster was also a keen 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 chose football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a recent 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.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder renowned for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

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

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa pounced 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 short space of time.

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

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late 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.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take 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

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

Wiegman is eager 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 acts.

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 assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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