"My days at Infernal Gaming were great but I joined MercenarieZ for more opportunities" : Abrar “adorchelsea” Hossain Ador, FIFAe athlete

Gaining inspiration from his brother, Dhaka's Abrar “adorchelsea” Hossain Ador has grown up to be one of the finest FIFA pro players in Bangladesh.

Ador is a passionate FIFA player and esports enthusiast who also happens to be a Chelsea FC fanatic since childhood. He currently plays for MercenarieZ and represented his nation at the World Cyber Games (WCG) in 2007.

In an exclusive conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Sayantan Chowdhury, the Bangladeshi FIFA esports star opened up about his professional career, personal life, and some of his thoughts on the future of the Bangladesh's esports scene.

Here is an excerpt from the interview.

Q. Ador, before getting started, tell us a bit about yourself and your ambitions as a pro FIFA player.

Ador: I would like to keep it simple and say I am Abrar Hossain Ador, just another passionate gamer amongst millions. Gaming has been a constant companion of mine for almost the entirety of my existence. And yes, I am also a professional FIFA player.

Speaking of ambition, I had none when I was first introduced to FIFA by my older brother, Charchil (Former 2010 WCG Bangladesh champion). My sole purpose back then was only entertainment until my brother asked me to participate in WCG 2007. Winning tournaments seemed surreal at the time but losing at the WCG 2007 brought about a feeling of despair.

I was asking myself, “How is it that they can win but not me?” Apart from pondering this question delicately, I started practicing every single day. I started by playing with Keyboard and it was becoming obsolete due to its lack of flexibility. I then switched to controller and never looked back. That is pretty much how I got hooked into FIFA and became enthusiastic.

Q. When did you think of taking up esports as your profession? Growing up in a country like Bangladesh, where orthodoxies prevail, was it difficult for you to choose a nascent career like gaming/FIFA in the first place?

Ador: The thought first crossed my mind in 2016. I was a member of ‘Infernal Gaming’ back then. My days at ‘Infernal Gaming’ were great but I wanted to move on for more opportunities and in 2019, I joined ‘MercenarieZ’.

They were very supportive. I would say the social difficulties were more like an outside force for me. We can all accept the fact that our society is still very prejudicious and unlearned about the scopes of Esports.

pic.twitter.com/QJHT0gys6H

— Abrar Hossain Ador (@adorchelsea) December 17, 2019

But my family, especially my brothers, were always there for me. I owe a lot of my success to them. One of my brothers played on an international level. He was and still is my idol. Looking up to him has always motivated me to pursue further.

Q. Your love for FIFA can often be traced back to your passion for football. Your IG and social media posts have often indicated your passion for Chelsea. Could you reiterate a few instances that you will always cherish as a lover of the sport?

Ador: I have always had a knack for football. And I have been a Chelsea fan since 2005. A moment I will always cherish will be the 2012 UCL when Chelsea won their first title. It was memorable.

Especially after the tragic semi-finals defeat against Barcelona in 2009, which had left me heart-broken.

Chelsea forever! 💙#KTBFFH #Champions @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/h4do5YGHl5

— Abrar Hossain Ador (@adorchelsea) May 12, 2017

Q. You have been on the competitive esports scene for almost 14 years now and have played against hundreds of professionals. Who was the most difficult opponent you have faced, and which one is the most memorable game in your entire FIFAe career?

Ador: Oh, yes and I plan to go on for the rest of my life. I would like to say that the most difficult opponent was no one but that would be a joke. Sometimes it's my luck.

In actuality, a plethora of people play better than me. But if I were to name one person who scares me, it would be my brother. He is kind of unbeatable.

I still recall Gamescon 2016, Jamuna Future Park. It was one of the most prolific and large-scale tournaments in Bangladesh. And it was indeed my first achievement after years of hard work. It was a phenomenal experience.

Q. What is your strategic approach towards each match you play in the competitive scene? Do you strategize differently for different games, or do you have your own thumb rule?

Ador: Fairly speaking, I have memorized every pro player’s strategy. If someone unknown to me were to play against me, I simply play the first half with basic skills and let them execute their strategy.

Done! ✅#FUTChamps #FUT20 #FIFA20 pic.twitter.com/JUZgwvHjiU

— Abrar Hossain Ador (@adorchelsea) December 22, 2019

This allows me to assess their tactics, whether they play on offense or defense or a mixture of both. Then I counter his strategy. If that doesn't work out, I just mimic his gameplay. All my matches are a bit different. That is basically my strategy.

Q. Who is that one footballer whom you don’t like missing out on in your FUT squad while playing a competitive game and which football player is your all-time favorite?

Ador: That would be Gullit. Unfortunately, I do not possess the necessary coins to own him. In a footnote, I think using money to buy players is sometimes not worth it due to the huge ping we have around here.

We simply cannot utilize the potential of the players when we play with pings reaching 60/70ms. I wish I could play with Kaka. But FIFA has nerfed him to a point where he is practically unworthy.

Q. EA has just revealed the official gameplay of FIFA 22 featuring numerous new Machine Learning integrations. What are your expectations from this year’s version? Have you tried the PS beta of FIFA 22?

Ador: While I am excited about FIFA 22, I do not expect much. Their way of developing FIFA has become numb and indolent. I would elaborate on that by giving an example.

Suppose you cannot do directional nutmeg in FIFA 21, without that you cannot get out of critical positions, a boring and repetitious predicament if you ask me. It is just FIFA is not what it used to be. And no, I did not get the FIFA 22 beta as of now.

Q. With the global pandemic forcing the entire world into lockdown, how do you think it has affected esports and interactive entertainment like streaming and streamers in general?

Ador: The ongoing pandemic has devastated every single industry. Esports are suffering because of the lack of sponsors, players, clubs and what not? I think streaming has amassed lots of viewers in this pandemic. People are more likely to stay at home and watch and support their favorite streamers. I like to think of this as a potential for future Esports events.

Q. We all know that grinding on one game for days can get tiring and monotonous. Tell us what else you do when you’re not in the mood for FIFA? Have you tried other games like Valorant or COD?

Ador: You could not be more factual, playing FIFA sometimes does become tedious. I mostly play R6S and Warzone with my friends to burn off the weekend league stress.

Q. Bangladesh is still in a state of infancy, considering the country’s developing esports infrastructure. Many aspiring Bangladeshi FIFA players go through the usual problems and drop their dreams for something more “secure.” What is your take on a career in gaming in Bangladesh, and what changes can be made to make it more mainstream?

Ador: Oh, yes. Pursuing a career in gaming in our country is still a taboo. I had the opportunity to get to know many skilled and talented players who had to drop this enthusiasm to opt for more “realistic” career plans. But the situation is improving, more people are joining the clubs, the society is being educated in this regard.

The whole infrastructure requires a renovation. We need investors, sponsors and people who dream. But as I said, the situation is improving rapidly. We cannot blame a third world country for being prejudicious about gaming careers, which is seen as a symbol of leisure and entertainment, can we?