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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she added, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a huge grin.

A Fairytale Homecoming

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.

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

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 set her on her path.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” 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 realised 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 demonstrated the focus and ambition needed to excel.

The second-tier club retained 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.”

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

Exiting the pitch to applause, the announcer highlighted 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 gave me a great foundation.

“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 effortless demeanour.

Wiegman is eager 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 is.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while understanding the importance of the collective.

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