US Women's National Soccer Team's (USWNT) Carson Pickett has become the first player with a limb difference to feature in the EA Sports gaming franchise’s history.
Picket is notably one of the most well-known players with a limb difference. Born without her left forearm, Pickett was the youngest patient ever to receive a prosthetic from Shriners Hospital in Florida, USA. However, the prosthetic limited her ability to crawl, so she would often take it off and grew up without seeing herself as someone with an impediment.
Hahahah omg imagine 😂 I'll start practicing https://t.co/YdE1zm1HLD
— Carson Pickett (@Cars_Pickett16) September 28, 2023
In June 2022, Pickett was called up to the USWNT and became the first player with a limb difference to ever play in a USWNT game.
As an outspoken advocate, Pickett uses her platform to raise awareness about limb differences. Her partnership with Nike in 2020 led to the creation of the Phantom GT Academy FlyEase football boots. These boots were designed to cater to players with disabilities by having a user-friendly wraparound closure and a fold-down heel.
With women footballers being included in EA Sports Ultimate Team’s latest iteration, the USWNT defender has enhanced the representation of athletes with limb differences and various disabilities in one of the world's most popular video games.
