The pride of Latin America, Matias "
Saadhak" Delipetro, prepares for new adventures ahead of his debut match with
Karmine Corp in the
VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 EMEA Kickoff. Hungrier than ever, he returns to the stage with the goal of reclaiming the title of the world’s best In-Game Leader. After three years of dominant performances with LOUD in the Americas, Saadhak now sets his sights on conquering yet another region. In this exclusive piece, the former VCT Champions winner sits down with Sheep Esports to discuss the year ahead and his plans to lead Karmine Corp to the top of not just European VALORANT, but the global stage as well.
With the VCT EMEA Kickoff just a few days away, how has your time in Europe been so far?
Matias "Saadhak" Delipetro: "It's been super fun, to be honest. This isn’t my first time in Europe—I’ve traveled here a couple of times before for tournaments and bootcamps, so I already had some experience here. But yeah, I love it. To be honest, I really love it.
There’s something here that gives you a sense of... how can I say it? A sense of family in Europe, which is kind of hard to find in the States. I think it’s mostly because in the States, you have to drive everywhere, and it gets annoying. You don’t really feel that sense of community, at least not where I live. But here, I can definitely feel it much more.
And how’s your experience with Karmine Corp been so far?
Saadhak: They’ve been treating me super well, honestly. I feel a lot of respect and am very welcome here. It’s... I don’t know, it just makes me feel at home. So yeah, overall, it’s been really, really fun.
Sheep Esports: How did you like being at KCX4?
Saadhak: It was unbelievable, to be honest. More than 20,000 people are just cheering on your name and being there for you. It’s... Well, it’s something you don’t experience that much, you know? How can I say it? Only a few people have experienced that, and I was one of the lucky ones. So, yeah, it was always unbelievable.
Sheep Esports: Did it feel similar to attending Champions for example?
Saadhak: No, it was bigger. I can confidently say it was bigger. It reminded me a lot of LOCK//IN. But LOCK//IN didn’t have the capacity to hold that many people, I would say. But yeah, it definitely reminded me of LOCK//IN.
Saadhak during KCX4. Credit: Karmine Corp
After leaving LOUD, there weren’t many people expecting that your new home would be Karmine Corp, especially since you had always competed in the Americas. What led to your decision to join KCorp and move to EMEA?
Saadhak: A few things. I would say the biggest one was that I didn’t want to miss the opportunity because you don’t get many chances like this—let’s say, a job offer to play in Europe, you know? For me, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, so I try to take all the chances I can get. And for me, Europe was that chance, and KC was that chance. I did have some interviews with other teams in EMEA, but what really caught my attention was the people in KC.
Engh, ZE1SH, and of course, some of the players they had on KC—that was a big part of my decision, you know? And also, the fan base played a huge role. I love having a big audience, big crowds watching us play. Coming from LOUD, I wanted to keep that, and I knew KC was the right place for it.
It just makes sense, right? Both Loud and KC have massive fan bases, so for me, it felt like the natural decision.
You’ve had a history of prioritizing competitiveness over money, like when you left Latin America to join Vikings in 2021 and later formed Pancada e Amigos, which became LOUD. Is joining Karmine Corp a continuation of that mindset, and do you see this as your best shot at returning to the international stage?
Saadhak: Yeah, I would say so, 100%. What most people don't understand is, it's kind of like... I don’t know how to say it politely, but people usually think it's all about the money or having these big numbers. But I can confidently say it's not about that. It's more like, we’re here to compete, you know? We’re here to win, basically. And you have to put yourself in a situation where you’re as close to winning as possible. That’s my take.
So, money, fame—those things come to you if you win, basically. Yeah. And you have to do whatever you can to win. The best way to do that is to put yourself in a position where the team you’re playing with has amazing, talented players and a really good chance to win. That was also one of the reasons I decided to come to EMEA.
When I was talking to Engh, he really stood out. He has the motivation to win, the talent to win as a coach, and I really trust his thought process and decision-making when it comes to choosing players, the right agents, and everything. So yeah, coming here was also about the guys. I think they’re really, really talented.
I kind of took part in the choosing process with Engh as well. He did, let’s say, 70% of it, and I maybe did 10%. But he positioned me in a way where I could share my opinions about the players and have some input—not a lot, but a little. And yeah, we ended up with a team that I really, really like.
VCT Masters Madrid 2024. Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot Games
You had some influence on building the team for 2025. How was that process, and do you feel confident this roster can win EMEA or be at the top of the league by the end of the year?
Saadhak: Yes, I would say I can confidently say this team has amazing raw talent. There are super, super good individuals on this team. But the hardest part right now isn’t experience—it’s testing out the team. We’ve done some of that already, like the showmatch at KCX4 and playing at Red Bull Home Ground. The match against KOI went well, but when we played at Red Bull, well we learned so much about the team. It basically showed me that we still need to improve and understand our weaknesses.
I do think we have a great chance to qualify for all the international events this year, but we still need to see how everything feels. I have super strong faith in the guys. Our main focus is the VCT Champions, and for that, yes, I’m 100% confident we’ll make it. By then, we should have things figured out. And if we don’t—well, it happens. Only the future will tell.
But yeah, I’m super confident in the guys—100%. The more time I spend with them, learning and playing, the more I can say without a doubt that we have an amazing chance to win everything, basically.
What happened during the offseason? Was Karmine Corp always your top option, or did you get offers from the Americas as well? Was there ever a possibility of you staying in the Americas, or did you feel like Karmine Corp was clearly the best option?
Saadhak: No, it wasn't. It was actually a super late option. I had everything figured out to stay in the Americas. I did have a team I was really interested in playing for, which people already know about. I did want to represent a Latin team since like, you know, it feels like representing my home right?
But then, all of a sudden, Karmine Corp showed up. And as I mentioned before, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with such amazing staff. The fans were also a big factor for me. But yeah, I received offers from all around the world. I think that really speaks for itself—the lack of good leaders and In-Game Leaders in esports right now. I think people should take note of that.
For me, getting so many offers wasn’t just because I’m good at playing, but because most teams were looking for a leadership figure, an IGL. So, I’d really encourage young people—if any young people are reading this—to start thinking more about the IGL role and developing yourself as a leader because there’s a huge demand for it in esports. Everyone wants to be the big carry, right? Everyone wants to play duelist and drop 40 kills. But once you’re done with that and realize you want more, consider the IGL route.
I did get a lot of proposals. Yes. And I still think that, if I have time in my career, I’d love to represent home—Latin America. I think that’s the only thing left on my bucket list. But let’s see how things go. I might stay here forever, or maybe I’ll go back to Latin America. I might even go into coaching. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m getting old, man.
The VCT 2023 LOCK//IN. Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
Your first VCT EMEA Kickoff match is against NAVI, SUYGETSU’s former team. How do you plan to tackle this match and what are the stakes considering your teammate’s history with them?
Saadhak: So, I do have a little history with NAVI. I’ve played them a couple of times already, and I’ve played SUYGETSU a couple of times too. They were always a super hard team to play against, mostly because of the way ANGE1 calls. It’s always fun, though. Having a strong opponent as your first match is great because it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament. If you beat them, you get this amazing momentum that might carry you into qualification—it’s happened to me before.
It’s really amazing. I’m glad, even for SUYGETSU, because one of the things I value in competition is playing against former teammates. It makes the game so much fun—super, super fun. And yeah, if you beat them, you get to say, “Haha, I beat your ass. That’s why I left.” It’s like you won the divorce [laughs]. But well, if you lose, it’s just part of life. Lose is improve.
If you win this match, you will face Vitality in the quarterfinals, which includes your ex-teammate Less and the new addition of Derke. What are your thoughts on that potential matchup?
Saadhak: Yeah, as I said before, if I get to play against Less, it would be so fun because I love that guy. Facing him on here would be really fun. I’ve played against everyone in this game, I know everyone, and I understand different play styles. So, playing against someone you taught things to, someone you had under your wing, it’s like facing a student now. It feels like teacher versus student, you know? For me, it feels kind of like that.
Sheep Esports: Would you have a message or warning for Less ahead of this match?
Saadhak: Of course, I told him already, I’m going to destroy him. There’s no beating around the bush. I don’t know if we’re going to win against you this year, but I’ll make sure to destroy you. I don’t know how, but I’m going to destroy you bro.
Are there any other teams that you're watching out for as potential rivals or enemies to take down? Heretics are still regarded as a very strong team obviously.
Saadhak: Not really, to be honest. Again, I don’t have that much history in EMEA, so the only thing I’m looking forward to is playing against Fnatic because that’s the team I’ve played against the past couple of times. So, I do have that rivalry with them. Other than them, I’m still trying to find my enemies.
What do you think of the current level of IGLs in EMEA? Do you consider yourself one of the best IGLs in the world?
Saadhak: Well, it’s not like I consider myself the best IGL. I think there’s always room for improvement because the game is really volatile. No two things happen the same way, at the same time, or with the same intensity. So, the decisions you make are always changing. It’s hard. It’s super, super hard to be the best. You can be the best momentarily like I was in 2022. I might still be the best, but it’s hard to maintain that over the years. The game is always shifting, and the best players are always shifting too.
We haven’t had a single multi-Champions winner since VALORANT launched, and that speaks volumes. It means no one has it 100% figured out or has the consistency. For me, it’s always about this adventure of continuing to improve and trying to figure out what to do next because the game is always evolving.
But yeah, there is a huge lack of IGLs, and I noticed that in EMEA. I don’t think it’s the same in NA because they have a strong IGL foundation. Each strong team you see there has a really good and well-established IGL. Even the most consistent teams in EMEA have good IGLs like Boaster, ANGE1, and others.
Still, I’d say yes, but at the same time, it’s the most complex role you can take. You have to have in-depth knowledge of the game and also know how to deal with players, how to build a team, how to manage routines — just a million things, you know?
Champions 2022. Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
You were known for your aggressive playstyle in the past, but last year you seemed to take a slower, more passive approach. What kind of IGL will we see this year in KCorp?
Saadhak: I always try to walk the middle line because I don’t like being super aggressive, and I don’t like being super passive either. I think having both is what makes a great team a winning team. If you only play one way, you’re never going to win. You need to be able to switch up tempos quickly and prepare your team. For example, against a certain team, if we’re super aggressive, things might work out. Against another team, if we play slower, they might make mistakes and it’ll work in our favor.
So, I never like to stick to just one style. I think that’s something Engh has really helped me develop as an IGL: having different ways to perform and different ways to call. And it’s also about preparing the team to do that because they need to be ready to switch playstyles. I can say, “Okay guys, let’s do this fast. Let’s rush,” but if we haven’t practiced that enough, they’ll be super lost. So, it’s really important to have support from the team in these situations.
With the new agent, Tejo, being added to the game, how do you feel about the current state of the meta and how Tejo will fit into it?
Saadhak: It’s really interesting because he’s one of those agents that can be meta-defining. You have to build around him, but at the same time, you can also play him independently. That’s what I mean by meta-defining. It’s similar to how Skye used to be—you could play Skye with pretty much anything and it would work fine. You can do the same with Tejo. He can be a solo initiator, and we’ve been experimenting with him a lot.
I don’t know if he’s going to appear much for kickoff, maybe once per map, like a team might try to play him. But people still need to do more experimenting with him. He’s really strong, but he’s also kind of hard to use.
It’s part of the game. Most pros get annoyed when major changes like Tejo come into the meta because it means adaptation and figuring out new strategies, but at the same time, this is what we’re paid for, you know? We have to deal with these situations, these extreme situations, and adapt. If it’s the best option, we have to use it. We’re going to be the best team to use it because we’re going to adapt faster than the enemy team. But when people complain, they’re also exposing their weaknesses. To me, when they complain, they’re saying they can’t adapt, and that’s a huge, huge failure.
How do you feel about the new map rotation, including the addition of Lotus and Fracture? Fracture is a complicated map—how confident are you in your team’s ability to execute on it?
Saadhak: Luckily, we have Engh. He was a really good Fracture player. I personally didn’t like Fracture that much, but after playing with him and having him explain his thought process, I got a better understanding. I really like Lotus. I feel confident about it. So yeah, I’m really happy about these two maps. I don’t want to jinx it and say, “These are going to be our maps,” but I feel super confident playing on them.
Will anyone contest with Saadhak's leadership in EMEA? Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
How confident do you feel right now, especially considering the rough year you had with LOUD in 2024? Do you feel like you can get back to the level you had in 2022 or 2023?
Saadhak: Yeah, I would say losing is part of winning too because you can't win without losing a couple, right? I always feel confident in myself and in the team. First, I have to feel confident because, you know, I'm the IGL. But also, to be honest, I haven't seen this raw talent since 2022. So, I think we have an amazing chance to do great things, to accomplish amazing things. Yeah, I’m feeling super, super confident. I think we’re going to have great results—at least I hope so. I try to look at everything positively. We just need a little bit of faith. We’re going to win, and amazing things are going to happen.
What do you think of the current level of the EMEA region, especially considering Heretics' performance at Champions? China was also a big surprise during that tournament, particularly with EDG and Trace's performances. How do you see the balance between the four regions?
Saadhak: I’m not really surprised by China because I’ve faced EDG twice already. I know their potential – they’ve won against us, and we’ve won against them. So, I know they have a lot of potential, and I think they’re just going to keep getting better and better.
As for EMEA and the Americas, I think it’s always been this way. The Americas have been dominant in the past, winning things like Champs and Masters, but EMEA also won, even if it was only Fnatic. The Americas have had a wider pool of strong teams winning—Sentinels, OpTic Gaming, etc. But now EMEA is getting stronger, and I think over time we’re going to start seeing more of a gap, with EMEA taking over in some areas. I think this is already happening in some FPS games, like Counter-Strike.
We’ll see how things evolve. The game is still not set in stone because teams are still improving, and there’s still money in the game, which is a big factor. People are playing because they see the potential to turn it into a career. As long as Riot supports the game, I think it will keep evolving and getting harder to play. Getting into VALORANT was tough a year ago, and now it’s going to be even harder because the game is becoming more in-depth, with more variants and new elements.
What do you think are your chances of making it to the Masters Bangkok and winning the VCT EMEA Kickoff?
Saadhak: Let’s say conservatively... if I have to be super conservative, I’d say 50%. But if it’s just me being honest, I’d say 100%. We’re going to get there. And if we don’t, well, that’s part of life. But I’m confident we’ll be there.
Is there anything you'd like to say to your team’s fans and all of those who follow you?
Saadhak: Oh yes! To everyone who is supporting us, and supporting me of course, I just want to say, as I always do, thank you very much. It's been a hell of a ride. I’m still in this, I still want to win, I still want to perform, and I want to be on top again. Be sure that we are going to work our asses off to provide good results and win, leaving all the KC fans on top so they can trash-talk all the other French organizations. Thank you, everyone."
Header Photo Credit: Karmine Corp
