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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” said England manager Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was almost identical.

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

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with cheeks puffed and a radiant grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, coming through their academy and playing 103 games before moving to Villa in July.

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

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

“It seemed destined to happen. 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 life-altering choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

The gifted youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of 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 explained 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.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is embarking on her own path with comparable attacking instincts.

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree indicated the drive and commitment required for the top level.

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 spotlight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, 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,” admitted 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 teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

She came off after an hour to a ovation 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 commented, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

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

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

The England manager wants to safeguard 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 sitting in front of 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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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