Natália “
daiki” Vilela is hoping to have another opportunity to compete on Brazilian soil with
Team Liquid’s Game Changers
VALORANT roster. In an exclusive interview with
Sheep Esports conducted on Saturday, September 5, on the sidelines of the
VCT Americas Finals, the player discussed the experience of competing in front of a home crowd again and what it would mean to potentially play for a title in Brazil.
Daiki also reflected on Liquid’s 2026 campaign, including the personal issues that affected them during Stage 1 and Stage 2 and the changes they made to overcome them. With Liquid heading into the final stretch of the season, the player also explained why she is confident in their chances.
Team Liquid is not yet qualified for the
VALORANT Championship and will face
MIBR Game Changers team on Friday, September 9, for a spot in the next stage of the Brazil’s competition. The winner of
Game Changers Brazil will earn a direct spot at Championship, while the runner-up will advance to the LCQ, where three teams will compete for another qualification spot alongside the second-place organizations from LATAM and North America tournments.
How was the experience of playing the VCT Americas showmatch in front of such a large crowd?
Natália “daiki” Vilela: “It was very different. I had already played with the Brazilian crowd, but there had never been this many people, so it was very enjoyable. The whole Riot structure was also really good, with a lot of people coming to support Brazil. All of that was really good. It was a really great experience.
How do you feel about having another opportunity to compete in a major event in Brazil?
daiki: I’m very happy that I can have another opportunity to play in Brazil. We had it in Championship 2023, but it didn’t go the way we wanted. I’m very confident this time, and I know we’re going to be in a really good position, so I’m very confident.
How do you feel about the pressure of having to win again after winning the last Championship?
daiki: I think I’ve already talked about this a few times, but the hardest thing isn’t reaching the top, it’s staying there. I think we’ve now given ourselves another opportunity to win the Championship, and I’m even happier because there’s always a lot of pressure. I’m very confident that we can bring it to Brazil.
Team Liquid lifting the 2025 Championship trophy. Credit: Christina Oh/Riot Games
How do you evaluate TL’s journey this year and the team’s preparation for the final stretch of the season?
daiki: We started the year very well, but in the middle of it, we had a lot of personal problems within the team. We dealt with them in a very good way, but unfortunately there was no way they wouldn’t affect us. We had to change the structure of the team, we had to change several things, and the results ended up not being what we wanted. But precisely because we had so many problems in Stage 1 and still managed to get a good result, which was a 3-2 where we almost won, I’m going into Stage 2 very confident because we’re much more stable now.
What do you think changed from the last stage to this one?
daiki: First of all, I think we managed to get aligned regarding those personal problems. I think everyone managed to resolve their issues, and as a team, we changed our approach a lot. We changed the way we practice and the way we review things. Everyone has improved, the coach, the staff, us as players. We’re doing much more, so that’s why I think Stage 2 will have better results than Stage 1.
What would it mean to you personally to lift the Championship trophy again, especially in Brazil?
daiki: For me, it would be making history. I think that if we manage to win the Championship in Brazil, it will be remembered in history. Everyone will remember it. Lifting the trophy here in Brazil is also very important because of my family, so having them see it and be there in person would be something very special for me. I think it would actually be very special for everyone on the team, and it’s something that will really go down in history. People won’t forget it, just like people don’t forget Shopify winning two world championships.”
