Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 4:55 PM• Jeroen van Poppel • Last update: 17:03

Carson Pickett made her debut for the United States women’s national soccer team on Tuesday evening. That’s special, because with that, the 28-year old defender became the first player ever in Team USA with a missing limb. Pickett was born without a left forearm and has been committed to helping people with a ‘limb difference†

“A dream come true”, Pickett writes proudly about her first appearance in the national team. The center defender, who plays at club level for the American North Carolina Courage, was allowed to participate in the entire game against Colombia (2-0 win). Pickett received compliments from her coach Vlatko Andonovski afterwards. “I’m glad she played well for 90 minutes.”

†@Cars_Pickett16 is the FIRST player with a limb difference to play in a USWNT game! #ThatsaW pic.twitter.com/wjlnubWfgc

— ESPN (@espn) June 29, 2022

Pickett has been a figurehead for people with a physical disability for years. “I dare to show my arm, but I know that many others don’t,” she wrote in April. “I also used to feel like I was different and didn’t belong.” In 2019, Pickett took to the world with a photo of her greeting a two-year-old boy with a similar disability.

It resulted in a collaboration with Nike, among other things. Together with the American sports giant, Pickett developed a football shoe with Velcro, intended for people with one hand. “My parents tell me to make good use of the platform that God offers me. I can use my arm for something bigger than myself. I want to have a positive influence on children and people who sometimes see no way out.”