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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after scoring 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 joked, referring to Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and playing 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

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

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

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a significant choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

The talented youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a October 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.”

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

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

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 rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular 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,” said Wiegman.

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited 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 stood me in really good stead.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

The England manager aims to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while understanding the importance of the collective.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall settled as if she’d always been there.

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