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

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

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s elated reaction to her maiden England goal – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

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 July move to Aston Villa.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the pinnacle of her career.

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.

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 won out.

“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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is echoing 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 dedication to become a star.

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa pounced to put her in the Women's Super League spotlight.

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

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

Her performance was eye-catching; she struck the woodwork and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having scored 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 understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

Wiegman is eager to shield 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 is.

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

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

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