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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, graduating from their academy and making 103 games before joining Villa in July.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place shaped the player I am,” Kendall stated.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 was vital for her prospects.

The gifted youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” 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.”

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

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

The second-tier club held on to her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa acted quickly to put her in the Women's Super League arena.

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

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

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

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting 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.

She was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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.

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

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “has the quality” 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 “down-to-earth” Kendall conducts herself.

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 assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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