“We’ve gained so much resilience”: One kiNgg and his four rookies. The winning formula in VCT 2026 and beyond

VALORANT Masters London concluded on June twenty first with a five-map thriller between Pacific’s Paper Rex and VCT Americas’ Leviatán. However it wasn’t the occasion favourite, comprised of a loyal core of VCT legends, that lifted the Masters London trophy in the long run.

It was Leviatán who got here out on prime with a dominant efficiency on the ultimate map, Lotus. Not solely is that this the primary Masters trophy going to a LATAM staff, the Argentinian esports group additionally locked on this historic accomplishment with a roster of 4 rookies that had by no means stepped on a world stage previous to Masters London.

With a median age of 20 years and 5 days, Leviatán has develop into the youngest world VALORANT champion in historical past, lower than three months after rookie staff Nongshim RedForce received Masters Santiago. In an unique interview with Esports Insider, Leviatán’s in-game chief (IGL) Francisco “kiNgg” Aravena mentioned the staff’s journey in direction of the Masters London crown and the strengths of his 4 rookies.

Rookies are anticipated to underperform throughout their worldwide debuts because of a wide range of components. Cheers from the gang drown out some in-game sounds. Opponents from different areas deliver new play kinds. Plus, the stakes and related stress are by no means larger than at a world occasion.

And but Leviatán has proven unimaginable resilience at Masters London. Alongside historic giants like FunPlus Phoenix and Fnatic, it is likely one of the few groups in VALORANT historical past to achieve a world Grand Ultimate by way of a full lower-bracket run. 4 consecutive match wins with little downtime in between have been required to make this occur.

In line with kiNgg, this lower-bracket run contributed considerably to the roster’s means to bounce again from setbacks. Notably, within the Grand Ultimate versus Paper Rex, Leviatán suffered a devastating 2-13 stomp on the primary map, Fracture. However the squad swiftly retaliated with a 13-6 victory on Cut up to even out the rating.

“I really feel like due to all of the decrease run factor, we’ve gained a lot resilience, a lot expertise additionally as a staff,” defined kiNgg. “After shedding map one, we’re simply ‘Okay guys, it’s superb.’ It’s a best-of-five. It doesn’t matter when you win 3-0 [or] 3-2. On the finish, it’s the very same consequence, so we simply shrugged it off.”

In contrast to his teammates, kiNgg has come near a world title earlier than. At Champions 2024, he barely missed out on a Grand Ultimate spot by shedding to Group Heretics within the Decrease Bracket Ultimate. This time, Leviatán and kiNgg appeared to have their first trophy locked in with a dominant begin on Lotus.

Nevertheless, proper earlier than the end line, Paper Rex managed to achieve again momentum and scramble a few rounds collectively.

When requested whether or not this second introduced up doubts in his thoughts, kiNgg replied confidently: “No, completely not. Not even when I used to be the staff shedding 11-1. The very last thing I might lose is hope for the match.”

He added: “Even when they have been profitable 11-1, I’m simply saying to everybody, ‘Guys, we’re 0-0. Simply concentrate on every spherical.’ Win[ning] is only a consequence. It’s not assured. So, everybody was simply so calm, so chill. And never at any second, I had any doubts that we simply needed to preserve taking part in good to get the trophy.”

kiNgg is by far essentially the most skilled participant on his staff. And he’s additionally Leviatán’s longest-standing member, having spent almost 5 years with the group. From his perspective as an IGL and VCT veteran, he mirrored on the expansion of his 4 rookies.

Beginning with Bruno “Neon” Rodríguez, the youngest roster member and the Masters London MVP. Hailing from Leviatán Academy, Neon was promoted to the Tier 1 roster forward of the 2026 VCT season. However as a result of league’s age restrictions, he missed out on most of this 12 months’s Kickoff occasion earlier than making his VCT debut at 18 years of age.

As prime VCT groups look to strengthen their rosters with younger prodigies, Leviatán was not the one group to make this calculated choice. EMEA’s Group Vitality scouted Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu all the way in which again in March, 2025 and waited for almost a 12 months to deploy the younger gun in its lively roster. For each Group Vitality and Leviatán, the dangerous transfer has paid off. The previous completed fourth at Masters London, and Leviatán noticed its youngest participant be topped match MVP.

‘’Since he joined the staff, I’ve been telling him he’s the very best on the earth. He’s out of his thoughts. He’s unimaginable,” emphasised kiNgg. “It’s a kind of gamers that you simply see him in follow, and I’m simply, ‘Wow, this man is simply insane.’ So, I’m simply happy with him to get that MVP. He deserves it a lot. He’s my GOAT. He’s unimaginable.’’

“We’re the best duelist duo within the f****** world.” These have been the phrases Eduardo “Sato” Nagahama selected to explain himself and his ranked duo of 5 years, Rodrigo “spikeziN” Lombardi. 

“Sato has grown a lot. I’ve identified him since final 12 months. He was the kind of participant to overheat somewhat bit. I used to be very harsh with him final 12 months. I might even be harsh with him this 12 months,” revealed kiNgg about Leviatán’s hype man. “Now, after all of the evolution he’s had on this match, or since earlier than that even, he feels just like the second-most skilled participant. He’s been serving to me in some issues. He’s doing unimaginable calls. He’s simply grown a lot as a participant. He was already a shooter, and now, he’s not solely a shooter. He’s a really, very sensible participant.”

Whereas Sato grinded in Tier 2 till he was sufficiently old to affix Leviatán for VCT Americas 2025 Stage 2, his duo since childhood had a extra sophisticated path to Tier 1. Regardless of profitable Ascension 2024 with 2GAME Esports, spikeziN wasn’t sufficiently old to compete in VCT Americas till virtually one 12 months later. Following a disastrous Stage 2 end in 2025, the prodigy then moved over to Leviatán to show himself each regionally and on the worldwide stage.

“spike[ziN], is only a flex that you simply wanna have in your staff one hundred percent. He has every thing. Not solely he’s a flex when it comes to agent pool. He’s a flex in completely every thing. He will be the man that may give you an unimaginable comm. He will be the man that may simply pop off,” highlighted kiNgg in our interview. “He’s all the time there serving to you in completely every thing. He’s simply unimaginable. I’m actually happy with him. And he can present that he can’t solely play Neon. He can play no matter he desires.

“He simply occurs to be among the finest Neons on the earth, so it’s not his fault. He’s simply insane.”

Guilherme “blowz” Oliveira had been grinding Tier 3 since 2021 earlier than his VALORANT esports profession took off within the South American Challengers scene. Successful his first Challenger trophies as a part of free agent groups, Solely Goal, Olimpo, and THE 7, earned him a spot on Leviatán Academy. Though blowz has solely been in Tier 1 since VCT 2026 Kickoff, kiNgg already sees numerous potential within the rookie.

“blowz has grown to be an unimaginable second caller,” the IGL identified. “He’s been serving to me loads with many conditions. At first, I used to be the man kinda making an attempt to say every thing. And now, he’s the man that’s even main many occasions, like for submit vegetation, retake conditions. […] I can see him, within the close to future, being even in IGL. He has the standard to be one. So, I’m actually grateful that I’ve him by my aspect.”

Leviatán’s win at Masters London is harking back to Nongshim RedForce, who lifted the Masters Santiago trophy with 4 gamers who had beforehand by no means stepped on a world VCT stage earlier than.

Nevertheless, there are essential variations between the journeys of those two rookie rosters, showcasing that particular person firepower isn’t sufficient to stay on the prime of VALORANT esports even in 2026’s micro-focused meta.

Like lots of the less-experienced groups attending Masters Santiago, together with Mild Mates and BBL Esports, Nongshim RedForce suffered a notable drop in regional efficiency following the occasion. Attributable to a mix of meta shifts and function points throughout the roster, the Korean group did not qualify for the second worldwide VCT competitors of the 12 months.

Leviatán particularly, nonetheless, has strong probabilities heading into Stage 2 and past. Along with wonderful mechanical talent, its gamers are identified for his or her self-discipline and suppleness within the agent pool. With its lower-bracket run, Leviatán has additionally confirmed its resilience and skill to adapt its playbook if mandatory.

If Leviatán continues its momentum by means of the final levels of VCT 2026, the group may develop into a chief function mannequin for roster formation and administration on the highest degree of VALORANT competitors. It’s not simply uncooked firepower that writes these rookie success tales. Additionally it is the adjoining assist and training system that turns younger weapons into full-fledged professionals inside weeks.