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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” remarked England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, coming through their academy and making 103 games before joining Villa in July.

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

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

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

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

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

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

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to bring her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a consistent starter 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,” admitted Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

The midfielder had a lively game, later hitting 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 enthusiastic 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 was crucial.

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was eager 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 settled as if she’d always been there.

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