🔗 Share this article

“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” noted England boss Sarina Wiegman with a laugh.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

This comment came as Wiegman spoke about the young midfielder’s joyous reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

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

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of utter disbelief.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, graduating from their academy and making 103 games before joining Villa in July.

Consequently, scoring at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an unbelievable experience.

“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

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She selected football.

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

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has begun her career in a like fashion.

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree indicated the drive and commitment required for the top level.

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to introduce her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has made a name for herself, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“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.”

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 loud 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 was incredibly beneficial.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I knew that I had to go in [to England] and prove why I should be playing at this level. The speed of the game is quicker and it was like going up a division.”

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

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with pundits stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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 “down-to-earth” Kendall acts.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing 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 settled as if she’d been a long-term member.

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