🔗 Share this article

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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was remarkably similar.

This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

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

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Southampton was her home for ten years; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and making 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the stuff of dreams.

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

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

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

While Southampton was instrumental in her development, a critical choice at 15 determined her trajectory.

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

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall commented 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.”

A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is echoing that goalscoring trend.

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

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to bring her to the top flight.

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

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” 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 was influential, 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 enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she said, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

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

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a gifted midfielder who “gets it”.

Wiegman is keen 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 acts.

Shortly after her maiden call-up, she faced reporters, expressing a desire to contribute while understanding the importance of the collective.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “fitted in instantly” as she slotted straight into the squad.

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