It may have been Southampton who “made” Kendall, but a big decision aged 15 proved crucial to her future.
The talented youngster was also a keen cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but eventually had to choose between the sports just as she was breaking into Southampton’s first-team squad. She opted for football.
“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said in her first England media conference in October.
“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 prowess – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.
Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the drive and dedication 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 spotlight.
Within months Winchester-born Kendall has made a name for herself, becoming a regular in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.
“She shows consistency and that’s not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” admitted 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.”
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 came off after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton’s very own”.
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 stood me in really good stead.
“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 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.”
