made a strong start to their Worlds 2026 campaign, sweeping
3-0 in their opening Play-In series. The victory puts the Vietnamese team in the Upper Bracket, where they will face
with a chance to move closer to securing a place in the Swiss Stage. FURIA, meanwhile, drop to the Lower Bracket and must beat
to keep their tournament hopes alive.
In an exclusive interview with
Sheep Esports, MVK mid laner VĂ” â
â LĂȘ NhĂąn reflected on his rapid rise from substitute to starting player at an international tournament, having joined the main roster in April. The rookie also discussed the lessons he learned while training in Korea with
and his assessment of FURIAâs performance.
You joined the main roster as a substitute and are now starting at Worlds. Have you had time to process how quickly everything has happened?
VĂ” âChikaâ LĂȘ NhĂąn: âI think Iâve adapted well to the process, and I feel really happy because all my efforts have paid off. Iâve now secured my first win at Worlds.
As a rookie facing some of the most experienced players in the world, what do you want to learn from them, both in and out of the game?
Chika: When I look at those experienced players, I really want to learn how they manage to stay calm and maintain their professionalism.
Is there a player at this tournament who you particularly admire?
Chika: There are many players in this tournament who I admire, but the one I admire the most is
(
JeongÂ
Ji-hoon).
You also had the opportunity to train in Korea with DRX Academy. How did that experience help your development as a mid laner?
Chika: I think my time in Korea gave me a head start compared to other young players in the LCP. The training environment there is very good, and the players are very disciplined. The level of competition is also very strong.
How would you compare FURIA level with the teams you usually play against in the LCP? Do you think they can compete with the best teams here, and did you identify any weaknesses?
Chika: I think FURIA are still a pretty strong team, and on a good day, they would probably be among the top four teams in the LCP. However, I think their main weakness is that when they lose an advantage, they often struggle to make the right decisions about what to do next.
MVK had around two months without official matches before Worlds, while FURIA had only five days between tournaments. How valuable was that preparation period, and do you think it gave your team an advantage?
Chika: I think it depends on how you look at it. Some people might say that having two months to prepare gives you a lot of time to get ready. Others might argue that playing a tournament and then competing again five days later allows you to maintain your form and keep your mechanics sharp. So, I think what matters most is whether the team has prepared well.
You opted for KogâMaw mid in the series. Why did you choose the champion, and what do you think of KogâMaw mid in the current meta?
Chika: I think KogâMaw is a very good pick against champions that build items giving them a lot of health, such as Ryze and KâSante. I also think KogâMaw is a good option in the third or fourth game of a series, when many of the stronger mage picks have already been taken away.
By the end of this tournament, how would you like people to view you, and what do you need to do to become the mid laner you want to be?
Chika: By the end of Worlds, I want people to see me as a young mid laner who likes taking risks and proving himself. I will keep working hard to make that happen.â
