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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” said England boss Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for a decade, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a major move.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall commented in a previous 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 understood 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 similar attacking output.

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

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

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

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said 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 excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 provided a solid base.

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

“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.”

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

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

The England manager wants to safeguard 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 keen 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 slotted straight into the squad.

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