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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile lit up her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, rising through their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

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

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. 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 “developed” Kendall, but a big decision at the age of 15 proved pivotal to her future.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall commented in a October 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.”

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

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 signed her to the WSL.

Within months the Winchester-born player has made a name for herself, becoming a regular in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” said Wiegman.

“Things have gone so quickly so fast, but she just keeps up her levels and shows she is a good player - and that is impressive.”

Her performance was notable; she came close to scoring again and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the excited 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.

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

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

The England manager aims to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

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