‘Like a Champions League win’ - Kendall’s unforgettable evening for England

“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” remarked England manager Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was almost identical.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – during the opening stages of a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a familiar face there after graduating from the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

“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 appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

It may have been Southampton who “developed” Kendall, but a major decision at the age of 15 proved crucial to her future.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She selected football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a October 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

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

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

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a very brief period.

“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.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

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

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a resounding reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

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

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

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