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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, referring to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, rising through their academy and playing 103 games before joining Villa in July.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a significant choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

The gifted youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall said 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is following that goalscoring trend.

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree signaled the mental fortitude and dedication required for the top level.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” admitted Wiegman.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

The midfielder had a lively game, later hitting the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She came off after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an instant impression at international level, with pundits stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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

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