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

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

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, exhaling deeply and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile spread across her face.

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 making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

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

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said in a October 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.”

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

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree signaled the mental fortitude and commitment required for the top level.

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

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL fixture 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.

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

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting 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 was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“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

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

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 “humble” Kendall acts.

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.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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