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

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet amidst her celebrating colleagues, the young player displayed an expression of pure joy.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and playing 103 games before moving to Villa in July.

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

“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 said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

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

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 breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

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

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

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

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

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a regular 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,” said Wiegman.

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she came close to scoring again and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She was substituted 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 regular playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“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

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

The England manager wants to manage 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 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.

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

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