After a composed performance that reflected the consistency they displayed throughout the tournament, underdogs
100 Thieves defeated
NRG in the Grand Final of the
Esports World Cup. The victory marks the first
VALORANT title in the organization's history and its first trophy since winning
VCT Americas Stage 1 in 2024.
100 Thieves entered the final on a six-match winning streak, their last defeat having come just short of the VCT Americas Stage 1 top three against… NRG. The reigning world champions had also won all four meetings between the two teams earlier this season. They arrived in the Grand Final in outstanding form after emerging from the tournament's "Group of Death" before eliminating Gentle Mates and BBL Esports in the playoffs.
A solid global performance
Despite those factors, it was 100 Thieves who struck first and immediately set the pace of the series. After a dominant defensive half on Breeze, they comfortably secured the opening map 13-7 before carrying that momentum into Sunset. Led by a red-hot Matthew "Cryocells" Panganiban, 100 Thieves once again forced NRG out of their comfort zone, cruising to a 13-6 victory to move within one map of the championship.
NRG finally responded on Haven, handing 100 Thieves a crushing 13-2 defeat before carrying their momentum onto Ascent, where they raced to a commanding 9-3 halftime lead. However, 100 Thieves showcased remarkable resilience, with Cryocells once again leading the way alongside Timothée "Timotino" Lavigne Dupont. Trailing 10-12, they forced overtime before closing out the series with a dramatic 14-12 victory.
100 Thieves completed an undefeated run to the title after topping their group and eliminating Made in Brazil (MIBR) and Nongshim RedForce in the knockout stage. They succeed Team Heretics, last year's champions, to become only the second team to win the Esports World Cup. Following a Grand Final that capped off an exceptional tournament, Cryocells was named the event's MVP.
The North American side will have little time to celebrate, however. Their next match is already scheduled for six days from now, when they return to action in VCT Americas Stage 2 against G2 Esports.
