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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – early in a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt unreal.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She went with football.

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

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

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

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to bring her to the top flight.

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,” said 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, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted her deep connection to the club and city.

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.”

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

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “understands”.

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of the media saying she was eager 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 integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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