After a perfect run since the start of the
VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA
Stage 1,
FUT Esports suffered their first defeat against Team Heretics. Following this loss, one of the team's veterans, Eray
"yetujey" Budak, gave an interview to
Sheep Esports. He reflected on their performance since the beginning of the year, the arrival of new players and coaching staff, the Esports Nation Cup, and more topics.
First of all, how are you feeling after these games against Team Heretics?
Eray "yetujey" Budak: “Honestly, I’m not feeling good about the result. Of course, we could have secured first seed or something like that, but I didn’t want to lose a single group match. Also, against Heretics, we already had a six-match losing streak, and I didn’t want to add another loss to that. But we lost. I’m sad and angry about it, but there’s nothing more to say.
You started very strong with great reads and individual plays, then Heretics came back on the first map. How do you explain that shift?
yetujey: I don’t really know. Everything was fine until the second half. In the second half, we just didn’t play our game. We didn’t help each other enough, we lacked teamwork, and in the end, we deserved to lose.
You were undefeated before this match in Stage 1. What has concretely changed between Kickoff and now?
yetujey: We changed our coaching staff, some players, and our identity. Over the past year, we weren’t that strong and were always underrated; teams weren’t afraid of us. But now, all of that has changed. We are a better team. We have dominant moments in games when we really want to show it, like today on Lotus. We have a lot of confidence, and we know how to play. But sometimes, things still go wrong.
Let’s talk about the roster changes. You added new players like Efe "s0pp" Tur. How has their integration been? Did you expect them to perform this well so quickly?
yetujey: With s0pp, we had already played against him one or two times, and I’ve watched him for a long time. I knew he was a really good player, a “wonderkid.” I understand his playstyle, what he can do, everything. When we played against him at Red Bull, and he won the trophy with his team, I saw his performance and thought, “Okay, we need this kind of player.” I was really happy to bring him into our roster. He’s very talented, and Vlad (Berke Kantürkq) also likes him. They have a great “big brother / little brother” chemistry, and we feel really good playing together.
FUT esports currently has a 4-1 record and leads Group Alpha. Credit: Wojciech Wandzel
You are one of the veterans of this roster. What allows you to stay consistent at the top level year after year?
yetujey: When I started in FUT Esports, my beginning was really good. The off-season tournaments and my first stage in 2024 went well. But in 2025, we couldn’t show up as strong and didn’t qualify for any international events. That was hard for me. But I’m also happy about that experience because I’ve seen both the highs and the lows.
After Kickoff, we stood up, understood what we needed to do, and tried to show something good to the people who support us. Now, I think we’re ready for a Masters, and maybe even Champions at the end of the year. But for now, I just want to focus on the next playoff match because today’s result still makes me unhappy.
Let’s talk about compositions. With Neon being central in the meta, we often see you playing double duelist, like today on Lotus. Does this reflect FUT’s new identity?
yetujey: Yes, maybe. Double Duelist is part of our new identity because we have two insane Duelists with great aim and aggressive playstyles. That said, maybe our Lotus composition wasn’t the best; we might change it. During Kickoff, we struggled because we didn’t have a true second Duelist. I tried it myself, but we realized it’s not really my role. I’m comfortable playing Viper or other Sentinel agents. Right now, it works, but we still have a gap in the team because we don’t have a true sentinel player.
We try to adapt depending on the map. For example, on Lotus, we had a lot of gaps on the B site. We try to balance things by giving space and taking space elsewhere. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But personally, I’m happy with my role, and I’m really glad to see our duelists performing so well. We’re just trying to do our jobs and win.
Let’s talk about trash talk. We’ve seen your team engage in it quite a lot. Is it about expressing emotions or tilting your opponents?
yetujey: Against KC, it was more personal. When Lewn (Burak Alkan) was on BBL, he used to trash-talk us a lot, SUYGETSU (Dmitry Ilyushin) too. In that match, we didn’t care if we lost the first or second map; we just wanted to make them angry and see their reactions. And it worked; they started aiming at our bodies and talking back. But after the first map, our coach told us it was fine to trash-talk, but we needed to focus more on our game. When we focused too much on the opponent, it actually gave them an advantage. So we refocused on our gameplay, and once we knew we had the win secured, we kept trash-talking and closed out the match.
Let’s talk a bit about the Esports Nation Cup. You’ve been selected for the tryout for the Turkish team. How important is it for you to represent your country, and who would you like to face if you are selected?
yetujey: I’m really proud to be selected. I love Turkey, I was born there, and I’ve always wanted to represent my country. Even if I don’t end up playing and someone else does, like Alfajer (Emir Beder) or another Sentinel, that’s okay. I’ll support them because it’s all about Turkey. If I could choose an opponent, I’d say Brazil, especially if aspas (Erick Santos) plays. I watch a lot of Americas, and I’ve seen many great games from MIBR and other teams. FURIA was also insane last year. I’d love to face Brazil, and I hope I can play against Aspas again. Last time we played, I destroyed them, so I want another Turkey vs. Brazil matchup. In FPS, these two countries are incredibly strong.”
