‘As if she won Champions League’ – Kendall’s special night for England

Sarina Wiegman, England manager, chuckled and said, “She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League.”

And it wasn’t far off for Lucia Kendall.

Six minutes into their 2-0 win over Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium, Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced off into the corner.

“They are still putting some treatments on the grass”! Kendall’s flawless knee slide was made a joke by her.

There was a large smile on the 21-year-old’s face as she began to walk, puffing out her cheeks in disbelief, and being surrounded by her team-mates.

Kendall spent ten years at Southampton, where she had worked there for ten years, where she had played 103 games before joining Villa in July, and where she had worked for the academy.

The ball was the stuff of dreams for her when she saw it hit the back of the net at St. Mary’s Stadium on her only third appearance for England.

“It was a really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I was raised.” Kendall told ITV, “This place made me into the player I am.

Kendall may have been “made” by Southampton, but a major choice at the age of 15 changed how she saw her future.

The talented youngster eventually had to choose between the two sports as she transitioned into Southampton’s first-team squad, but her father, Will, played cricket for Hampshire. She chose football as her choice.

“It was fascinating,” he said. In her first England media conference in October, Kendall said, “There is no time for me to do both.”

Growing up, I adored playing cricket. It was a very difficult choice. I exchanged messages, but when the time came, I realized I liked football a little more.

Kendall has started out in a similar manner to Frank Lampard, an England midfielder known for his goalscoring prowess, and she idolized him growing up as a Chelsea fan.

It was obvious from the beginning that Kendall had the desire and commitment to become a star while juggling a psychology degree at Southampton.

The second-tier club continued to care for her as long as they could, but Villa made an effort to reinstate her when her contract expired this summer.

Kendall, who was born in Winchester and started out in the top flight before joining the England squad, has quickly established a name for herself.

She exhibits consistency, which is difficult to do when you first enter the WSL with Aston Villa and then you just move in.

She just keeps up her levels and shows that she is a good player, which is impressive because things have happened so quickly and quickly.

Kendall hit the crossbar in the second half to almost equalize her goal at St Mary’s, but Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

After an hour, the home crowd roared at her and the stadium announcer gushed, “Southampton’s very own,” in a loud voice.

In more than a decade of service, Kendall noted that, having spent so long playing senior football at Southampton, I did so at the age of 16, and that proved invaluable.

They consistently believed in me as a player and the belief that I had. I hoped to move on to [the next step].

Former England striker Ian Wright claimed Kendall had just “got it” as a midfielder and that she had always appeared natural.

Wiegman wants to keep her safe, claiming that both Villa and the media can. However, Kendall’s “humble” behavior doesn’t bother her.

Kendall was speaking in front of the media days after being first called up by the Lionesses, stating that she was determined to impress but also understood that she had a responsibility to the team’s greater good and that she had a responsibility.

Russo, a striker for Arsenal, described Kendall as having “been here for years” as she “seen herself in the squad.”

Being able to be in and around them and experience their environment is something I didn’t expect to do until this team had just won back-to-back Euros, Kendall said.

It takes me a while to “break out of my shell.” I have a psychology degree from a university. I prefer to maintain my life’s pursuit of football by sticking to it.

I enjoy cooking and spending time with my family. I wouldn’t say I do too much. I simply enjoy living in harmony with nature.

Marieanne Spacey-Cale, who trained her at Southampton, is well-versed in Kendall’s mindset and said she was ready to play for her country.

As soon as I met her, I knew. The former Arsenal and England forward called her a very grounded, humble young woman, and she was ambitious.

She is aware of her desires and route. She plays with skill. She completely comprehends [the game] for a person her age.

She can defend herself and make lung-bursting runs forward. She plays both technically and tactical midfield very well.