Lucia Kendall: The Frank Lampard-inspired midfielder hoping to make a mark for England
Aston Villa's all-rounder 'here to learn' after surprise call-up to Sarina Wiegman's squad caps quick rise
When a new player is called up to an England camp, there’s always an expectation they will be required to face a press conference.
It’s a daunting prospect for anyone, let alone someone who just a few months ago was playing in the second tier and receiving very little media attention.
Lucia Kendall is in her first senior England squad after being selected by Sarina Wiegman last week. It has been an incredibly quick rise for the 21-year-old, who came up through Southampton’s academy and joined Villa in July.
As is customary for many new call-ups, Kendall missed the initial call from Wiegman as she was watching television and not expecting to hear from England’s head coach. That air of surprise and excitement carries Kendall through her first press conference as a senior England player.
“I don’t think it’s really sunken in”, Kendall says, with a huge smile on her face, “but I’m just here, I want to learn as much as possible really. This team just won back-to-back Euros, so to be able to be in and around them and be in their environment is something I really didn’t think I’d get to do straight away so soon. So I just want to learn as much as possible and take it all in.”
Kendall is familiar with the St George’s Park setup having played in all of England’s age group teams from Under-15s to Under-23s. But she admits there is a different level of intensity and detail that comes with being in the senior-team environment.
The box-to-box midfielder has started three games so far for Villa this season, including a standout performance against Arsenal at the Emirates. It has been the trust of her club manager Natalia Arroyo that has put her in the sightline of Wiegman and her staff.
“She’s funny, she’s very passionate about the game,” Kendall says of Arroyo. “I’m starting to see how she wants to play a bit more. But, to be honest, I’m really grateful for the level of trust she showed in me.
“I’m a young player in the team, and even the first start that I was given at the Emirates, not every manager will throw you in the deep end like that. I was really grateful for that opportunity to be able to show what I can do.”
Kendall is extremely technical, a quality that is becoming a trademark of Southampton’s development system, but she also has the physicality and endurance to operate in the engine room of any midfield. It’s that versatility which makes her an exciting addition to England’s squad: she can play as a defensive midfielder, a more traditional No 8 or even a more attacking No 10.
Having played senior football for Southampton since she was 16, Kendall is not someone who has emerged from nowhere, but the step up to the WSL has allowed her to adjust quickly to a faster and more physical level of football.
She references Frank Lampard as one of her footballing idols, with his ability not only to dominate midfields but also to score goals, and that all-rounder’s approach is something that would have caught the eye of Wiegman.
The head coach said last week that Kendall’s “positioning and game understanding is really good”, as well as highlighting her ability to be “tough in duels” and strong in possession.
There are several players Wiegman has called up from England’s Under-23s over the last few years who have failed to stick around and break through into the senior team: Katie Robinson, on loan from Aston Villa at Everton, and Brighton’s Maisie Symonds have been in and out of the squad in recent times.
Part of Wiegman’s role and relationship with Under-23s head coach Emma Coates is about spotting talent that is ready and deserving of promotion, but staking a claim to a senior squad place is a much tougher task. Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang are more positive recent examples of players that have progressed from England’s age-group teams and made a lasting impact.
Like many of England’s next generation, Kendall has studies and passions outside of football: she plays the piano, like teammate Agyemang, and is completing a degree in psychology.
Given current injuries and absences from the squad, and with two low-stakes friendlies against Brazil and Australia to come, it would be a perfect time for Wiegman to experiment with new faces like Kendall ahead of the road to the 2027 Women’s World Cup.