‘As if she had won the Champions League’ - Kendall’s special night for England

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

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

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with an amazed expression and a radiant grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

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

Consequently, netting at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an incredible experience.

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

It may have been Southampton who “developed” Kendall, but a big decision aged 15 proved crucial to her future.

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football won out.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall explained in a previous media conference.

“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to bring her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.

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

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

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 stood me in really good stead.

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

The England manager wants to manage 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 acknowledging 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