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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” remarked England coach Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of pure joy.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Having been “an integral part” 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 significant change.

Consequently, scoring 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 made me into the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football won out.

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

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood 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 instincts.

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

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a starting spot in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” admitted 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 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 emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 proved vital.

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

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

Wiegman is eager to protect 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 conducts herself.

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.

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

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