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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed 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 coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

“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 overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a big decision aged 15 proved crucial to her future.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She selected football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a recent 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

The second-tier club retained 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.

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

“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, striking 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.

She was substituted after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having netted 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

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

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

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

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

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is confident due to Kendall’s humble and professional 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 integrated as if she’d always been there.

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