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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” said England coach Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

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

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she quipped, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, exhaling deeply and surrounded by her team-mates, a broad smile appeared on her face.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her return 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 stated.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented in a previous 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.”

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

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree was evidence of the drive and commitment required for the top level.

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture 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,” 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.”

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

She came off after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“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].

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “has it”.

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen 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 remarked that Kendall settled as if she’d been a long-term member.

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