🔗 Share this article

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

And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic 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, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile lit up her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. 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 Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

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

A Chelsea supporter, her idol was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is mirroring that goalscoring trend.

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology demonstrated the focus and ambition needed to excel.

The club did their utmost 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 fixture and an England international in a short space of time.

“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.”

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.

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

Having netted 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“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 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

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

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 keen to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “been here for years” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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