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

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

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s joyous reaction to her maiden England goal – 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 joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved crucial to her future.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with 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 realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting 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 was substituted 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”.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that was incredibly beneficial.

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

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

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

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.

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