“I've had doubts throughout the year that I might be a fraud or might not be good enough, but I think I've silenced those.”

A season of upsets, excitement, and beautiful storylines culminated in NRG NRG North America Rank #1 keiko Georgio Sanassy brawk Brock Somerhalder mada Adam Pampuch skuba Logan Jenkins Ethan Ethan Arnold hoisting the Champions Paris trophy last month. Tenured veteran Ethan became the first player to ever win Champions twice after shutting down a reverse sweep from Boaster 's FNATIC FNATIC Europe Rank #1 crashies Austin Roberts Boaster Jake Howlett kaajak Kajetan Haremski Veqaj Sylvain Pattyn Alfajer Emir Ali Beder 3-2.

Now, after nearly a month of minimal activity, the two are poised to meet again at New York's Red Bull Home Ground event alongside high-caliber teams from around the globe. VLR spoke to Boaster, Ethan, and a newly-signed cortezia ahead of the main event's kickoff on how they felt heading into the event.

“We're using this as a way to feel out the meta more than anything about our team,” said Ethan. “We're feeling out the game itself and getting in early reps, getting keiko ] acquainted with everything as fast as we can. We're going to have a break afterwards, [so] we're trying to stay warm but also not burn out before the next season.”

“The OFF//SEASON is really important for a team,” said cortezia. “Imagine if you don't play any OFF//SEASON [events]… you want to go to the first Masters, so it's really important to know the problems. With a new roster, you're in the honeymoon phase, but when you play a tournament it's different. You can see a lot of problems, you can see a lot of stuff you need to fix. For me, it's still important. I'm here to win.”

A highly-anticipated event has returned for its annual showing during the OFF//SEASON, a circuit of tournaments aimed at keeping teams fresh and allowing new talent to flourish as the VCT prepares for its next season. Ethan and cortezia had different viewpoints on what they would use the event for, and Boaster was no different.

“For me, [it's] about going to other countries, enjoying each other's company, and allowing for new players to fit into the team. Imagine if we didn't do [a single] OFF//SEASON event with Veqaj and his first game was on stage in EMEA. I think it's too much pressure. I think the best thing to do is get his rubbish games or good games out of the way now so he can get used to the idea of playing for FNATIC.”

“[Get him] used to expectations and allowing himself to thrive when it comes to the season starting and qualifying for Santiago. We had a tiring, busy year, especially towards the end of it. Right now my goal is not to work my socks off so I'm tired by next year. My goal is to enjoy the team's company, and try to win with a different mindset. I think that's an important thing; see what other mindsets we can think about and get to a final again and see what it's like to play in a final again where the pressure's not as high as it would be at a Masters or a Champions.”

All three players experienced a very different 2025 season. cortezia felt nerves towards the beginning of his rookie year, Ethan felt unconfident after a slow start, and Boaster pushed his team to three international grand finals.

With roster changes affecting some more than others, the trio will enter 2026 with new teammates, but the same hunger for trophies.

“I think I was pretty consistent the entire year, but I still felt as if there could be more,” said cortezia. “With Sentinels Sentinels North America Rank #4 N4RRATE Marshall Massey Reduxx Yassin Aboulalazm johnqt Mohamed Amine Ouarid Kyu Mirel Braco Hrustemovic cortezia Gabriel Cortez , one of my main goals is to be more consistent. I want to be the guy that is always doing his job. In 2025, I had some highs, but some low lows. Sometimes I wasn't ready for the challenges. I feel that this year on MIBR MIBR Brazil Rank #1 xenom Eduardo Soeiro Verno Andrew Maust aspas Erick Santos was pretty important for my career. I'm really feeling comfortable now on stage.”

“I think I've actually never gone into another season with the same core in this game,” Ethan remarked. “That'll be new for me. It definitely helps a lot when you keep the stuff you already have; it's basically a cheat code. Going into a new season not having to reset completely, no matter who we would have gotten it will be good.”

“I want to do whatever it takes next year to push us over the line,” said Boaster. “Use all these experiences and push us over the line so we can win a trophy. I'd like to see Alfajer , crashies , and now Veqaj win a trophy. It means that I'll be even with Chronicle in trophies. When Chronicle was in the team, he was one above us in trophies so no one could catch him, but now we can catch his ass.”

One of the few players from the game's inception to remain in the top echelons over the years, Boaster's consistency and motivation have driven him to great heights with FNATIC. The Brit hoped to live out his younger self's dream with no regrets, a mindset he will continue to take into this tournament and 2026 with one of the world's best teams.

“I might've started a bit later than I expected, but that doesn't mean I have to be the age I am now. I can think of the game and have the same aspirations as when I was 20 years old… I honestly thought my dreams were over before Valorant came out… I don't even know what I'd be doing if I didn't make it.”

“I don't know when I'm going to retire. I will retire when I feel like I am a big detriment to my team and when I feel like my motivations are letting my team down. Right now I don't feel like I am lacking in motivation, that's for sure. I don't think I'm the biggest detriment in the game right now too, from what the boys say… I'm just going to keep playing until one day I'm not. I don't know when it'll be, but I don't think it'll be this year. I think I can go again.”

FNATIC, NRG, and Sentinels will duke it out in the main event of Home Ground today alongside T1 T1 Korea Rank #5 stax Kim Gu-taek (김구택) Meteor Kim Tae-oh (김태오) BuZz Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철) iZu Ham Woo-ju (함우주) Munchkin Byeon Sang-beom (변상범) , ZETA DIVISION ZETA DIVISION Japan Rank #8 SugarZ3ro Shota Watanabe eKo Yeom Wang-ryong (염왕룡) Xdll Yuto Mizomori Absol Kazuki Fujinoki stand-in HoneyBunny Fumiya Tanimatsu stand-in , and various Americas teams in a winner-takes-all manner. The victor will take home another trophy, as well as important momentum heading into the 2026 season.