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

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

As the 21-year-old rose, exhaling deeply and mobbed by her team-mates, a beaming smile lit up her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for ten years, where she progressed from the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a big step.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt dreamlike.

“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 remarked.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

A skilled 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 presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology highlighted the discipline and dedication 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.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular 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.

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

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a loud 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 was incredibly beneficial.

“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].

“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.”

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless 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 “grounded” Kendall acts.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was eager 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