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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” noted England coach Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

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

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile appeared on her face.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after graduating from the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her return and during just her third international match felt extraordinarily special.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football won out.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said 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 knew 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 following that goalscoring trend.

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree was evidence of the drive and dedication required for the top level.

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to bring 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.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” noted 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 notable; she struck the woodwork and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the excited 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.

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

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

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 acts.

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.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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