The Brazilian esports organization LOUD secured their spot in the VALORANT Champions playoffs with a convincing 2-0 victory over Global Esports (GE) on the final day of the group stage. Driven by a dominant attacking performance on Split and Sunset, the team advanced to the knockout stage, where they will face Paper Rex in the quarterfinals.
During the post-match press conference, LOUD representatives explained their decision to play Split—a map they had consistently banned throughout VCT Americas Stage 2. According to Miguel "Bati" Batista, the team had always practiced the map but avoided it due to the high proficiency of their previous opponents. Against Global Esports, this choice proved to be strategically justified. Meanwhile, Lucca "lukxo" Travaioli successfully brought Yoru back into his agent pool, noting that it was easy to relearn the character from his time playing him at Masters Santiago.
The players also highlighted their mental resilience and confidence. Roberto "erde" Lobos emphasized that his internal mindset helped the team deliver a dominant attacking half on Split, quickly bouncing back after losing the opening rounds. The team's success further confirms the dominance of the Americas region, which saw all four of its representatives advance to the playoffs. Gonzalo "Romanilly" Manzano attributed this to the historically strong background of the region's players in FPS titles and a well-balanced blend of different playstyles.
An important highlight was Sebastián "Darker" Cicuamia's mental recovery following a tough match against Vitality. The player admitted that immense support from his teammates, family, and messages from hundreds of fans helped him overcome his emotional slump, allowing him to showcase a strong performance against GE. Furthermore, LOUD made history as the first team featuring Portuguese representatives to reach the playoffs of an international VALORANT tournament, an achievement that should serve as an inspiration for the next generation of esports players from the country.
Summarizing their group stage run, David "DaviH" Cruz expressed satisfaction with the team's level of play, which they demonstrated in their victories over EDG and GE. Heading into the playoffs, LOUD plan to maintain their signature playstyle, strive for victory in every match, and hope for a chance to get revenge on Team Vitality for their only loss of the tournament.
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