After their win against Bilibili Gaming, the seed 1 of China, on day 4 of
VALORANT Champions Paris,
MIBR players and staff went to a
post-match press conference. They explained how a tighter team culture and a focused European boot camp helped them clarify their plans for the current meta and map pool. They discussed the role of an in-team "vibes" leader during rough patches, the impact of recent agent buffs, the differences between international and regional play, and their personal growth, from rookies breaking records to veterans emphasizing process and resilience.
Question for Gabriel "cortezia" Cortez:
On stage you called yourself the “vibes guy". On Map 2, when several rounds slipped away, what did you do within your structure to lift the team and yourself?
Gabriel "cortezia" Cortez: "We knew our game plan was sound. When bad things happen, losing an eco, getting stacked with five ultimates, you reset, note a small improvement for the next round, and move on. We play and live the outcome together; no complaining, just focus. You need thirteen to win, so one lost round doesn’t define anything. My job is to keep that perspective and keep the hype up.
Does having a “vibes” role help release frustration with the uncontrollable parts of VALORANT?
cortezia: For sure. We have to remember we’re here because we love this, and this is the dream. Some rounds you truly can’t control, but in the next round, they won’t have those ultimates. Go round by round. I appreciate players like babybay (Andrej Francisty) and Zellsis (Jordan Montemurro) who bring energy; I’m that guy for us, and every team benefits from one.
Question to Erick "aspas" Santos:
Talk about running Waylay on Corrode. Some were worried when you locked it, then you answered with an ace. How did that agent fit here?
Erick "aspas" Santos: Waylay is very good on Corrode and is showing on other maps too. She got buffs to three abilities; her ultimate was already fine, which made her strong and truly playable. Before that, she felt too weak; now she fits.
You missed Stage 2 playoffs but qualified to Champs on points, and many labeled you the weakest team in Paris. Now you’ve earned your first win. Any words for supporters or doubters?
Aspas: We came very prepared. Being called underdogs didn’t affect us, we’re a closed group, and we don’t look outside. To everyone supporting us, thank you. Please keep backing us through the tournament.
Your career often dips at one event and surges at the next. How confident are you that this time you can surpass the last two years?
Aspas: I don’t think about arcs, I focus
on the next match RRQ or Fnatic, whoever wins. If I say anything broader, it’s that our Champions prep was excellent because of the European bootcamp. You face many styles, teams exploit your weaknesses, and you fix them. I’ve boot camped before 2022, 2023, 2024 and again in 2025.
Question pour Arthur "artzin" Araujo:
The team looks very different from Stage 2, when you were in a reset phase. From your view, what changed between that split, this playoff run, and the bootcamp that produced such a consistent showing?
Arthur "artzin" Araujo: We don’t pay attention to outside noise. We’re a tight, focused group. After the early losses in Split 2, we pressed a hard reset, and against 100 Thieves and others I said, “We’re back.” A lot of people didn’t believe, but when we’re together, our confidence is strong. We qualified for playoffs, kept training, and bootcamped. Yes, we refined tactics, comps, and the map pool, but most of all, we stayed together to represent Brazil as well as we can.
Daniel "Frod" Montaner: I’ll add that the bootcamp was about sharpening everything, no perma-ban mindset. You can’t win Champions with holes in your pool. We balanced work on weaker maps while preserving what we do well. The group is very aware of our weaknesses, and we’re deliberate about addressing them.
Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games
At Masters you took some hard losses and spoke openly about not performing, individually and collectively. How significant is today’s win for you and the team?
artzin: Collectively, it matters a lot. Our expectation is always to win, and our prep for this match made us confident. Personally, after Toronto, my confidence dipped. I worked on that in recent weeks, and I’m happy with today. But to be champions, the only thing that matters is a solid team my numbers are secondary.
You’ve lived MIBR’s highs and lows since late 2023. After your first international in Toronto and now Champions Paris, what does this mean to you?
artzin: It’s a dream coming true. Many players who haven’t been international want exactly this to play the best and become one of them. I’m grateful MIBR kept faith in me. I’m happy to be here, but it isn’t enough; I want to prove myself again.
Question for Frod:
With Icebox out and map-pool talk everywhere, how did you allocate bootcamp time before Champs Paris?
Frod: You can’t win with a perma-ban, so we aimed to make every map highly competitive. It wasn’t about hard-focusing just one, we balanced the pool, tweaked weaker maps, and reinforced strengths. The players contributed real solutions. The goal is simple: arrive Champions-ready.
How does it feel to return to the city where your esports story began, now guiding this team?
Frod: It feels great to be back where I won my first major, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Call it coincidence or providence, but I’m thankful to be here with these guys. We’ll do everything we can to win a trophy and who knows, maybe I’ll be back again in twenty years.
Question for Andrew "Verno" Maust:
Did the bootcamp change your approach to Champs, especially for your IGL development since Stage 2?
Andrew "Verno" Maust: Massively. In North America, our scrims weren’t challenging. In Europe, we were pushed, tested by many styles, and actually learned. As an IGL, being truly tested in scrims helped me improve quickly. It also brought everyone’s focus together.
This is your first Champions, and you played well at Masters despite the result. Are internationals an extra motivation, and what’s the main IGL difference facing other regions versus the Americas?
Verno: Internationals are completely different. Regionally, everyone knows everyone and often counters without much depth. Internationally, you show who you really are as a team against unfamiliar opponents. For this event in particular, the key is preparation; we prepared well and will keep doing."
Header credit photo: Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games
