Cincinnati is home to one of the most promising and accomplished players in Major League Soccer’s electronic division (aka their esports team). Gordon “Fiddle” Thornsberry represents FC Cincinnati on the pixelated soccer field as their premier eMLS signing, a role he adopted in 2019.
Thornsberry is magnificently good at FIFA video games, so much so that he’s won sizable cash prizes and international distinction for his lightning-fast thumb work. He’s triumphed in five North American championship tournaments since he began playing competitively and there seems to be no end in sight to what he’ll accomplish as a pro gamer.
“My first professional match was in July of 2018 in Miami, Florida. It was a tournament for all players in the U.S.A. and the winner of the tournament got a one-year contract with Paris Saint Germain’s (PSG) esports team. I managed to win the tournament, which was unreal to me because it was my first official tournament I’d ever been a part of,” Thornsberry says. “I got started in esports just by being a normal kid playing FIFA. I played it all the time growing up because soccer — or football, whichever you prefer — has been my favorite sport since the time I was walking. Once I started doing well, I entered some online tournaments against other good players and did well and it led to where I am today.”
Thornsberry plays under the handle “FiddleFCC” while representing the team in official matches. The name Fiddle makes him easily searchable among other eMLS competitors, but it also leads to a recurring question he gets from fans.
“The main question I get asked is how I got the name ‘Fiddle’ and the answer to that is I had my friend make me a name on Xbox when I was 13 years old and he made it ‘Fiddleton,’” Thornsberry says. “I kept it for a long time and then when I got signed to PSG, decided to shorten it and keep the name Fiddle.”
But it’s not the name eMLS fans are drawn to, it’s the consistent display of talent and dedication to the game that Thornsberry is known for. As it stands, he’s won the 2017 Coca-Cola eCopa USA Championship, the 2019 North American Gfinity Championship, 2020 eMLS League Series 1 and League Series 2, and the FIFA 20 Summer Cup Series North America; Thornsberry also represented the U.S. Mens’ National esports team in three friendlies against Mexico, Brazil and Spain.
“I think that the one thing that sets me apart from other competitors is my experience,” Thornsberry says. “I’ve been in many tense situations that sometimes I’ve overcome and sometimes crumbled in that have made me into the competitor I am today and I think that helps me, because learning from experience is very important.”
Curious what a pro gamer’s setup is like? The esports field demands high-end gear in some cases. Want to be an esports contender? Don’t skimp on the monitor.
“My gaming setup is mostly similar to what other FIFA players have. I have both Xbox and PlayStation because I play FIFA on both,” Thornsberry says. “I have a nice PC that I use to record and stream my gameplay on. Controller-wise, I use a SCUF Vantage controller when playing on a PlayStation.”
“I think anyone trying to take gaming seriously needs a gaming monitor,” he continues. “There is a big difference when your monitor has low-response time so that when you click a button on the controller it then happens right away on the screen.”
The past year took a toll on so many different industries and the esports realm is no different. While matches were able to continue online, there was a noted deficiency in in-person tournaments, a draw that attracts large crowds across the country.
“The one thing I’m looking forward to is being able to travel for events again. Due to the pandemic, all of our tournaments have been online, so looking ahead to the future, I would really like to play in-person tournaments again. As for online, our eMLS Cup Final is at the end of March and it is a very big competition for me with strong competitors, so it’s another chance to get some silverware for the club.”
Watch Gordon “Fiddle” Thornsberry compete at twitch.tv/FiddleGT. For more on FC Cincinnati, visit fccincinnati.com. For more on the eMLS, eMLS League Series and eMLS Cup, visit MLSsoccer.com/eMLS.
This article appears in Apr 1-30, 2021.