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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” said England coach 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 – during the opening stages of a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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

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

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a significant choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented in a previous media conference.

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. 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 starting her own path with similar attacking output.

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her to the WSL.

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

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” noted Wiegman.

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

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

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a resounding reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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].

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

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”.

Wiegman is keen to protect her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “grounded” Kendall is.

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

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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