The 100 Thieves team was crowned the VCT Americas Stage 2 champion after defeating LOUD in the grand final held this Sunday, the 6th, in São Paulo. With this victory, 100 Thieves secured its second consecutive title of the season, adding to the EWC trophy.
Despite the defeat, LOUD concluded its participation in the tournament with a remarkable recovery. The Brazilian team reached the lower bracket final and had to face two consecutive MD5 series before reaching the final. Both LOUD and 100 Thieves are now focusing their efforts on Champions Shanghai.
One of the biggest obstacles faced by LOUD was the brief rest period between matches. Players reported finishing the fifth map of the previous round around 10 PM and having to wake up at 7 AM to prepare for the final. Due to the little time available for adjustments, tactical changes had to be implemented practically 'on the fly,' as mentioned by the athletes.
Even feeling the frustration of the runner-up spot, Luke emphasized the magnitude of the recovery built during the playoffs. He stated: 'We will look back and think: look at the run we made.' Luxô also expressed the belief that the campaign does not yet reflect the team's full potential. Before Champions, the focus will be on expanding the map repertoire and correcting specific aspects of the game, showing confidence in LOUD's ability to rank among the top in Shanghai.
Darker, who had suffered defeats before entering Tier 2, commented on the significance of the journey and cited Faker as a role model for his professional trajectory, aiming to win various titles while representing his country. For Davi, the qualification has a historic character, as he will be the first Portuguese player to participate in a VALORANT Champions.
In contrast, 100 Thieves arrives at Champions in excellent form. After winning the EWC title, the team also won the Americas Stage 2. Asuna, who has been part of the organization for six years, was elected MVP of the final. During the season, he had to adjust to the role of primary duelist and credited part of the success to the squad's cohesion, joking: 'Through the power of friendship, we prevailed.'
Cryo highlighted the importance of achieving two consecutive championships, while Martino described the match against LOUD as the most challenging series he has ever experienced. Martino commented on LOUD's evolution, stating: 'I am really shocked at how much they have improved throughout the year.' Bang, meanwhile, pointed to the high volume of training as a differentiator in the campaign, feeling that the effort of the season is finally yielding results.
The 100 Thieves coaching staff opted not to make drastic changes to the pre-Champions preparation, summarizing their methodology with the phrase: 'if it's working, it's working,' prioritizing internal confidence and preventing external expectations from affecting the work. For Asuna, Shanghai represents a chance to reverse the outcome of past seasons, hoping that Champions will be the 'happy ending' that was previously missing when good performances culminated in disappointment.
LOUD also faces the World Championship with high expectations. Despite having a young team that is still below what the players consider their peak, the fight in the lower bracket and reaching the Americas final demonstrated rapid evolution. The 100 Thieves title symbolizes the end of a cycle in VCT Americas, starting with a confrontation between the North American team and ending with the organization once again in the spotlight, this time with the trophy. Thus, 100 Thieves and LOUD leave São Paulo as rivals, but proceed to Shanghai with the same goal: to compete for the main title of the VALORANT season.