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

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

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

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

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. 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 was instrumental in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but ultimately had to pick one of the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

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

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

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a regular place in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

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

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 applause, the announcer highlighted her deep connection to the club and city.

Having netted 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

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

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

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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