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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – during the opening stages of a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, referring to Kendall’s immaculate 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.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England cap, it was the material of fairy tales.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 set her on her path.

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is mirroring that goalscoring trend.

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

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa swooped to put her in the Women's Super League arena.

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,” admitted Wiegman.

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

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the enthusiastic 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 regular playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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 humble nature.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she spoke to reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while understanding the importance of the collective.

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall settled as if she’d been a long-term member.

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