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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after slotting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a radiant grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

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

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the pinnacle of her career.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented in a recent 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.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder known for his goalscoring ability – and Kendall has begun her career in a like fashion.

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

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 limelight.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” said Wiegman.

“Things have gone so quickly so fast, but she just keeps up her levels and shows she is a good player - and that is impressive.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost setting 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 roar 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 commented, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take the next step.

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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 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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “been here for years” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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