A smiling Sarina Wiegman claps her hands in the background, with Lucia Kendall in England action
Credit: Tung Manh Phan
Richie Mills
Wed 15 April 2026 19:10, UK
Aston Villa hailed Lucia Kendall as England’s number 10 after impressing in the Lionesses’ 1-0 win over Spain in their World Cup qualifiers.
After representing England at under-15, under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-23 level, Kendall made her senior bow for her country last October in a 3-0 win over Australia.
The 21-year-old, who joined Villa after leaving Southampton last summer, scored her first goal for England in a 2-0 friendly win over Ghana in December.
She has since racked up six caps for the Lionesses, the latest of which came in her first start for her country in a victory over Spain on Tuesday.
Ahead of England’s trip to Iceland on Saturday, Villa star Kendall will hope for more game time as she targets a World Cup spot next year.
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Lucia Kendall’s rapid rise for Aston Villa and England
England claimed a big win at Wembley over rivals Spain to take control of their 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying group.
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Lauren Hemp got Sarina Wiegman’s team off to a perfect start with a third-minute opener, as Kendall made the starting XI in a competitive fixture for the first time.
Lucia Kendall’s season for Aston Villa and England Statistics
Aston Villa 17 games, two assists
England Six games, one goal
According to BBC Sport, Kendall “looked at home” in the number 10 role for England, before being replaced in the 72nd minute by Laura Blindkilde Brown.
Spain had 63 per cent possession and 21 shots on goal to England’s nine but a strong defensive effort secured the Lionesses all three points.
Although Kendall missed a good chance during the contest, Wiegman name-checked her in her post-match comments.
She said: “Overall, the bigger picture of this evening is incredible. The legends are here and we always say we stand on their shoulders. Then Keira’s 100th cap, that’s massive for her and for Lucia [Kendall], her first start at Wembley, and I thought she did a good job.”
England's number 10 😍
Lucia Kendall made her first competitive start for the Lionesses this evening as they beat Spain 1-0 at Wembley 🏴 pic.twitter.com/k9bc5yPOsx
— Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) April 14, 2026
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Villa certainly thought she did a good job with a nice shoutout on social media. It is still early days but Kendall is doing everything right in her bid to reach the 2027 World Cup.
Incidentally, Villa goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck was also named in the latest England squad, with the experienced stopper acting as an unused substitute against Spain.
Positive signs for Kendall
During her 72-minute outing, Kendall had one shot on goal, created one chance, had 15 passes, made two tackles, and had a passing accuracy of 73.3 per cent.
She started behind Alessia Russo and alongside wingers Hemp and Lauren James as the Lionesses withstood Spain’s barrage.
After three matches, England are three points clear at the top of League A Group 3, following wins over Spain, Iceland, and Ukraine. But there is still time for Spain to come out on top, although England’s superior goal difference (+4 on the 2023 World Cup winners) could come in handy.
Incidentally, Kendall is one of 13 Villa players on international duty over the next week or so. When they return, the Villans are back in Women’s Super League action when they host West Ham on 4 May.
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