Two weeks ago,
Team Secret Whales exited
Worlds 2025 with a 1-3 record after falling to Movistar KOI in their elimination match. The
League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP) representatives returned home with their heads held high as they set their sights on the 2026 season. In an exclusive interview, head coach
Võ “Naul” Thành Luân sat down with
Sheep Esports to discuss the team’s elimination and what comes next.
You’ve been eliminated after a tough series. What were your thoughts about the game?
Võ “Naul” Thành Luân: "My thoughts are that I kind of regret it because we had a big advantage in game two and didn’t use it to win. Then we just got reverse swept. So I feel a bit ashamed about it, and it’s also quite sad to stop here.
You prepared well for MKOI and surprised many by winning the first game. Would you have changed anything about your or your team’s preparation going into the match?
Naul: I think we had very good preparation coming into this series, and I don’t think we needed to change anything. We already did everything we could. It was also the first time for all five of our players on the Worlds stage, so it’s understandable that even though we had a big advantage, we didn’t have the experience to use it to end the game. To me, it’s a shame, but we played with no regrets, and we can hold our heads high leaving the tournament.
Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
Đinh "Taki" Anh Tài said in another Sheep Esports interview that he wants fans to remember TSW as a young, energetic team, which fits the Worlds theme of “earn your legacy.” What do you think is your team’s legacy at Worlds this year?
Naul: I think our preparation and scrims during Worlds were quite good, so I had very high hopes for our performance—but it didn’t go as I expected. For me to talk about what legacy we’ve shown here, I don’t think I’m in the right place to say that right now, because with our loss, a lot of people—analysts, teams, and fans—are watching. So I can’t really define that at the moment. But I know that if we get the chance to come back to another international event, we’ll definitely be a better and more experienced team compared to this one.
Many fans started following you because of your team’s contagious energy and strong social presence. What are your thoughts on gaining more international fans?
Naul: I really appreciate that we came here as a Vietnamese team and gained a lot of recognition from international fans. We’re very happy that people enjoyed the energy we brought to the Worlds stage. The most important thing for me is to keep that energy within the team. We’ll keep trying to gain more experience, stay positive, and hopefully next year we can bring even more new things to the fans. I really appreciate everyone who followed us on this Worlds journey.
This year’s Worlds song is called “Sacrifice.” You’ve been in the scene for 10 years now—first as a player and then as a coach. What sacrifices have you made to stand here at Worlds today?
Naul: First of all, I really appreciate your question. It’s a bit emotional to talk about sacrifice. I can’t believe I’ve spent 10 years in this career and that I still have the same feelings—still being here, playing at the highest tier, the biggest tournament of the year. I just hope I’ll have more chances to come back here and more time to stay with the passion and career that I’ve stuck with for 10 years."
Header Photo Credit: Yicun Liu/Riot Games
