🔗 Share this article

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

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

The England boss was commenting on the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a triumph 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 amidst her celebrating colleagues, the young player showed an expression of pure joy.

A Fairytale Homecoming

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, graduating from their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt unreal.

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

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

A proficient cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she faced a choice between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said in a recent 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 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 ability – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

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

Southampton kept their prized asset as long as possible, but upon her contract expiry, Villa signed her to the WSL.

Her meteoric rise has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

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

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 gave me a great foundation.

“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.”

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless demeanour.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed 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 been part of the group for ages.

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