‘As if she had won the Champions League’ - Kendall’s special night for England

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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a familiar face there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

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

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

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

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

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career began to flourish. Football was the choice.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented in a recent media conference.

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I knew 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.

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

Southampton held onto their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

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,” noted 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 nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

Exiting the pitch to applause, the announcer emphasized 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 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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

Teammate Alessia Russo observed that Kendall integrated as if she’d been a long-term member.

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