Philadelphia Union announced today the signing of Thiago Vazquez to the Union eMLS team and will represent the club at eMLS tournaments and EA SPORTS FIFA competitions worldwide.
“Philadelphia Union is one of the most competitive teams in MLS right now and they have shown it on the field over the last couple years. I have no doubt that this winning trend will continue and I firmly believe that the best clubs are meant to be represented by the best players, so I am very honored to be able to represent the Union and the people of Philadelphia in the 2023 eMLS season,” Vazquez said. “This is the team that I have supported since my arrival to the United States and I’ve had the pleasure to attend Subaru Park a couple times and the environment is amazing. I fell in love with the players, the fans and the DOOP chants after each goal. I also wanted a club that matched my winning mentality.”
Known by his gamertag ThiagoCapo12, Vazquez brings a strong resume to the Union Esports roster having finished top 20 in EA Sports FIFA 22 Global Series. His ranking made him the No. 2 ranked Latin American Player in all of North America and he is already off to a blistering start in FIFA 23 with a Top 9 finish in the continent during the first division rivals season on the game.
The 19-year-old was born in Argentina and grew up in Honduras before coming to the United States to attend college at the University of Delaware, where he is a full-time student. Despite being a relative newcomer to the FIFA scene, he has already embraced the chip-on-my-shoulder mentality that comes from representing the City of Brotherly Love.
“I expect nothing less than the eMLS title for my debut season, and I know that can sound like an unrealistic goal for someone with no experience in eMLS but I also know that if I don’t believe in myself, no one else will,” Vazquez told PhiladelphiaUnion.com. “I like not being one of the favorites, because they don’t expect it, and you are able to surprise them. FIFA 23 has been out for a month or so now, and even though I have been working very hard already and I truly believe I have the level to compete with the best players in the region, I will keep grinding to hopefully keep up to my expectations at the end of the season.”
Soccer has always been in ThiagoCapo12's life. His father, Diego Vazquez, played in Honduras for most his 24-year-career before becoming a manager of F.C. Motagua in 2013 and the Honduran National Team in 2022.
“I truly believe that a connection with the game in real life is crucial for all FIFA players. Even though playing soccer in real life is very different from playing FIFA, I think that to really improve in the virtual pitch you have to love and have a big passion for the game in real life. I am a goalkeeper and I don’t get to score goals in real life, I have a good time scoring goals in FIFA, and I celebrate them with a lot of passion. In addition, my father is a professional soccer coach, so I always try to implement the tactical concepts that he teaches me to maximize and perfect my way of playing FIFA.”
