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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, puffing out her cheeks and engulfed by her team-mates, a beaming smile appeared on her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

It may have been Southampton who “shaped” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved pivotal to her future.

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is starting her own path with similar attacking instincts.

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree was evidence of the drive and commitment required for the top level.

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.

Her rapid progress 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,” noted Wiegman.

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

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.

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 said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 was invaluable experience.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“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.”

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

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

While mindful of shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s humble and focused attitude.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing 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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “was an old hand” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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