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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

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

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

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

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

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

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

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

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented in a previous media conference.

“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a very brief period.

“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.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

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

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

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing 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.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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