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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, puffing out her cheeks and mobbed by her team-mates, a broad smile spread across her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

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 scored at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England cap, it was the material of fairy tales.

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

The talented youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will played for 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 an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented 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.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is starting her own path with comparable attacking instincts.

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

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

Her meteoric rise 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,” noted 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 cheer from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming 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 gave me a great foundation.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“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’

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless demeanour.

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is confident due to Kendall’s grounded and professional attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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