🔗 Share this article

“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” said England coach Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

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

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player celebrated wildly following her debut international strike – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a massive grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for a decade, where she progressed from the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a significant change.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

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

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a recent 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 knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

Growing up admiring Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s goal-getting midfield exploits, Kendall is embarking on her own path with comparable attacking output.

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

The second-tier club held on to 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 limelight.

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

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” noted Wiegman.

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

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting the crossbar later in the first half and almost teeing up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

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

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The trust and regular playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [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 smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and natural 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 acknowledging the importance of the collective.

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

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