🔗 Share this article

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

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

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

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of overwhelming happiness.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her summer transfer to Aston Villa.

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her homecoming, and on only her third England cap, it was the pinnacle of her career.

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

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

A Meteoric Ascent

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

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

“It was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” 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 understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa pounced to put her in the Women's Super League spotlight.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL fixture 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,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

The midfielder was influential, later hitting the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

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

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 was invaluable experience.

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

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a natural midfielder who “understands”.

Wiegman is eager to shield her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “humble” Kendall conducts herself.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of 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.

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall integrated as if she’d always been there.

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