FNC Alfajer: "PRX hasn't felt the pressure of elimination yet. We've been feeling it every single day. Be careful mates, we're coming for you"

Emir "Alfajer" Beder, duelist of Fnatic at the 2025 VALORANT Toronto Masters.

"We are definitely not prepared for Pearl. All I’m gonna say is, I have an agent prepared for Pearl, and I might carry the entire map with it. If that happens, Paper Rex needs to be scared"

After expertly dismantling Wolves Esports, the last EMEA representatives, Fnatic, are heading to the 2025 VALORANT Masters Toronto Grand Finals to face Paper Rex, the final hope of the Pacific region. Riding strong momentum, the boys in orange and black now have one last opponent to overcome after winning every match in the lower bracket. In an exclusive interview, Emir "Alfajer" Beder sits down with Sheep Esports to discuss his team’s momentum, their victory over the Wolves, and how Fnatic plans to tackle Paper Rex to reclaim their international throne.

How did you make that Ace on Lotus happen? What was going through your mind in that moment?

Emir "Alfajer" Beder: "Honestly, the Marshal is the most broken gun in the game right now—it’s so easy to play. They all walked into me on C, and, well, I just clicked on them. For the last kill, I really wanted to knife him—it was for style points.

Throughout the tournament, people have been saying EMEA was the worst region there. Do you feel like you've avenged your region?

Alfajer: I'm glad I can make EMEA not seem like a one-team region.

How did you prepare against the Wolves? Did they play like you expected they would?

Alfajer: They are a great team—obviously, they made it to top 3 here, right? Today, they showed their strength as well, especially on Lotus with that comeback. The biggest reason why we won is not necessarily because we're better—it’s because they were nervous playing against us in such a high-stakes match. We have more experience.

Jake "Boaster" Howlett said VALORANT is really a mental game. Paper Rex has strong momentum from the upper bracket, but Fnatic has been winning everything from the lower bracket. Which momentum do you think is stronger?

Alfajer: The momentum of the lower bracket is more important for sure. They never lost a match, so they didn’t confront their mistakes and weaknesses. Coming from the lower bracket, we know what we shouldn’t do now. Our momentum now is enormous. They never felt that pressure of elimination in playoffs. We’ve been feeling it every single day. They’ll feel it tomorrow. Be careful mates, we’re coming for you.

Paper Rex has had a bit of a curse in International Finals, and your team hasn’t lost one since Reykjavík 2021, which was before you joined Fnatic. How does the team feel about going into the finals? Is it like a comfort zone for you?

Alfajer: We’re going in without expectations. We’re gonna play, and if we win, we’ll be happy. But if we lose, we won’t treat it like the end of the world. I know about their curse, but I also know that whenever teams play against us, they show up like twice as good as usual.

You haven’t won an international event since 2023. Are you hungry to win again and get that trophy?

Alfajer: Yeah, it’s been a long time since we’ve been in an international Grand Final. I have more personal stakes because I’ve never really shown a strong performance in these big tournaments before. Now, I’m popping off at the Toronto Masters. I want to win it all, and I want to be the MVP. People think Alfajer isn’t that great anymore, and I want to show them how great I am.

How do you feel about your growth from 2023 until now?

Alfajer: I’m really happy about my growth. I have way more experience than back then. After all these years and tournaments, I know what I need to do now and how to play at my best.

What do you think about Paper Rex as a team, especially after adding Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza? What’s Fnatic’s key to winning tomorrow?

Alfajer: Our win condition will be overcoming ourselves, to be honest. Whenever we lose a map, it’s because of ourselves. If we go tomorrow and play our game without hesitation, we can win it all. I don’t care if they swapped a player or changed their whole roster. I won’t give up. If we play our game, we’re going to win.

The last time you faced them was at Masters Tokyo 2023...

Alfajer: It’s been a while, but we know their play style—everybody knows it. They are an aggressive team, but when they play against good aimers, I think they’re going to struggle a bit.

You’re coming from the lower bracket and won’t have any vetoes. Given that Sunset, Haven, and especially Pearl—which you haven’t played at all—haven’t been strong maps for you, is that something you’re worried about?

Alfajer: We are definitely not prepared for Pearl [nervous laugh]. I can already tell we’re gonna play on Pearl tomorrow—it’ll be the very first map too. All I’m gonna say is, I have an agent prepared for Pearl, and I might carry the entire map with it. If that happens, Paper Rex needs to be scared.

People say you, Boaster, and Kroniko are one of the best cores in Valorant history. If you win tomorrow, do you think that will make you the best core ever?

Alfajer: Definitely. We’ve already won two international trophies together, which is more than most cores can boast about. If we win tomorrow, that’ll be three, so I think it makes us the best core by default.

What do you think about Fnatic’s current level? Do you think you’re the best team in the world yet?

Alfajer: We can’t say we’re the best in the world yet. We need to improve and win finals first. If I had to rate our current power level out of ten, I’d say about 7. We haven’t shown our peak form yet, and I hope we’ll manage that against Paper Rex.

Why does it seem like a Fnatic player always falls sick during international events?

Alfajer: It’s just the Fnatic ways, I don’t know.

[Jokingly] Do you guys eat out of a dumpster or something?

Alfajer: I don’t know if there’s something about what we eat, but it’s working right now, so we’re not going to change it.

Is there something you want to say to Fnatic fans before we finish?

Alfajer: Thank you to everyone who watched us and cheered for Fnatic. I love you all!"

Header Photo Credit: Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games