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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic 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 quipped, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a core player there after graduating from the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England cap, it was the stuff of dreams.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a recent 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.”

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

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree signaled the drive and dedication required for the top level.

Southampton kept their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa secured her signature to the WSL.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” admitted Wiegman.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and coming close to providing an assist for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer highlighted 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 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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “understands the game” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

Wiegman is keen to protect her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “grounded” Kendall is.

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

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall settled as if she’d always been there.

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