🔗 Share this article

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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

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

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

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

“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 crucial decision aged 15 proved pivotal to her future.

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

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall commented in a October 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 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.

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

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to bring her to the top flight.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular 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,” admitted Wiegman.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

Her performance was notable; she came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take 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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

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

The England manager wants to manage 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 emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

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