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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” said England boss Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

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

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a beaming smile lit up her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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 summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a significant choice at 15 set her on her path.

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 opted for football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

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 limelight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has established herself, becoming a regular in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” noted 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 nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a resounding reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

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 gave me a great foundation.

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

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while acknowledging 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