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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment felt just as significant.

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

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

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, rising through their academy and playing 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

Consequently, scoring at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an unbelievable moment.

“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 seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

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

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She went with 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to introduce her to the top flight.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” admitted 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.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming 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 set me up perfectly.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

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.

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “was an old hand” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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