‘Like a Champions League win’ - Kendall’s memorable evening for England

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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of pure joy.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “a staple” of Southampton for ten years, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a significant change.

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

“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 said.

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

The gifted youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented in a previous 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 knew 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 highlighted the focus and dedication needed to excel.

The second-tier club held on to 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 spotlight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has established herself, becoming a regular in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.

“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 came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

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

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 stood me in really good stead.

“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.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a natural midfielder who “understands”.

The England manager aims to manage her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s modest nature.

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