🔗 Share this article

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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after netting her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

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

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a familiar face there after coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

So when she found the net at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It felt like it was written [in the stars]. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

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

The gifted youngster was also a avid cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to pick one of the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall commented in a October 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.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder known for his goalscoring talent – and Kendall has started out in a like fashion.

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

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

In a matter of months, Kendall has rapidly ascended, securing a regular place in the WSL and a call-up to the national team.

“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.”

The midfielder had a lively game, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She came off after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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 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 immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

While mindful of protecting her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s grounded and focused attitude.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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

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