G2 Trent: “I’m definitely confident against every single player in the game, but I wouldn’t say I’m the best”

Trent "trent" Cairns spoke to THESPIKE after G2 Esports's loss against Team Vitality at VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai to discuss what went wrong in the series, Vitality’s slow paced playstyle, his clutch performances, the team’s chemistry, and much more.

THESPIKE: What do you think went wrong today, and how would you sum up the series overall?

Trent: I think, at best, we just had a slow start. We let our standards slip a little in the first six rounds, and they took advantage of that. When you give a team an opening, they’ll take it. That’s just how it is at this level.

The more mistakes you make, the harder the game becomes. We made too many mistakes early on and didn’t leave ourselves enough room to recover on the attack. We made it close with a 2v5 at the end, but those situations are always difficult to win. The odds are usually against you.

I think we just needed to be a little more disciplined in the first seven rounds, and we would have had a much better chance of winning Abyss. Split was difficult, too. I think they had a very good game plan going into it.

It was honestly just hard for us, and they played a really good Split. That’s all.

THESPIKE: You’ve played against teams from different regions throughout the tournament, including Liquid, Pacific teams, and teams from the Americas. In my opinion, Vitality are the EMEA team that slows the game down the most. They seem to be the only team from the region trying to impose their own play style on their opponents.

Was it difficult to face that approach when you’re used to playing against teams with a completely different style?

Trent: Yeah, I think it definitely threw us off at the beginning. We knew what we were getting into, and we had a game plan. But sometimes an individual play doesn’t go your way.

We choose to take those risks, and when you lose them, it makes the round a little harder. I think they definitely play differently from every other team. They’re probably the slowest-paced team at this event, alongside LOUD, who also play slowly, look for picks, and then call an execute. But yeah, they had a good game plan going into the series.

We more or less knew what they'd do, but we made too many defensive mistakes in the first few rounds, and it was too hard to recover.

VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai

G2 Esports

0

X

2

Team Vitality

Upper Bracket Semi Final, Best of 3 - October 10, 2026 - 12:00PM

11

Abyss

13

4

Split

13

G2 Esports

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

valyn

1.13

217

33/30/11

+3

1.10

75.7%

138.6

29%

67%

4

2

babybay

1.08

216

33/30/10

+3

1.10

74.9%

150.0

30%

67%

6

3

trent

0.88

169

24/30/11

-6

0.80

69.9%

112.5

34%

33%

1

2

leaf

0.73

166

19/33/17

-14

0.58

79.5%

105.5

13%

50%

4

4

jawgemo

0.67

151

22/36/8

-14

0.61

63.1%

103.6

28%

43%

6

8

Team Vitality

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Derke

1.20

233

35/27/9

+8

1.30

69.5%

148.8

16%

33%

3

6

Chronicle

1.19

221

31/28/14

+3

1.11

83.7%

148.7

25%

69%

9

4

Jamppi

1.11

225

35/28/7

+7

1.25

73.3%

144.5

28%

42%

5

7

PROFEK

1.07

200

31/25/9

+6

1.24

80.4%

124.5

37%

33%

1

2

Sayonara

0.98

193

26/29/16

-3

0.90

83.7%

131.7

38%

33%

1

2

THESPIKE: You came into this match after beating one of the favorites to win the tournament. Now, you’ve faced a team that many people didn’t expect much from because of EMEA’s struggles at this event. Three EMEA teams were eliminated in the group stage, leaving Vitality as the region’s last hope. Since you practice against these teams and have more insight into their level did you expect Vitality to be this strong, or were you surprised as well?

Trent: I think before the event started, it was a 50/50. They could either be really good or end up like one of the other EMEA teams that got eliminated in groups They definitely had more time to work on things after finishing 12th, with that whole month during Stage 2 to practice and improve. I think that really helped them going into this event.

They were harder to read for the first teams they played, and they also have a different play style than most teams here. That gives them an advantage. Since the first game we watched, I think they looked really good, and as the hype grew, people started believing in them more. They really proved themselves.

THESPIKE: Speaking of G2 as a roster, even though you lost today, we saw some great clutch moments, including a 1v3. We’ve been seeing this more and more often, and Alexander "jawgemo" Mor mentioned it in another interview. One of G2’s biggest strengths seems to be your clutch factor, with you stepping up when things aren’t going well.

Do you think you’re getting better at managing the pressure at events like this and performing even when the situation isn’t ideal?

Trent: Yeah, I feel very little pressure at these events now. I’ve been to so many that, at some point, you just have to let it all go and focus on the round in front of you. Before the game started, I honestly thought:

“Wow, I barely even looked at the crowd.” I didn’t even know how high the stands went or how many fans were in there. I was so locked on the screen that I barely noticed the crowd until I heard them while I was playing. Then I’d think, “Okay, these guys are probably close to me.”

It’s just little things like that. I don’t think the stress really gets to me anymore. I’m pretty calm and reserved, and I think the clutches show that. We’ve also been working on that recently, so it’s been a focus for us.

THESPIKE: In a rapid-fire segment, JEWGEMO was asked to choose a teammate he would keep playing with, and he chose you. Do you guys get along well even outside the game, and do you think your playstyles match well?

Trent: We hang out all the time, text each other, and play games outside VALORANT.

That’s pretty much the case with all the guys, too. Aside from VALORANT, Jacob "valyn" Batio doesn’t really play any other games, so we mostly just talk. I don’t get to spend as much time with him outside the game, but he’ll always be my boy.

I’ve been with him for five years. I’m also really good friends with another teammate, and we’re always doing things together. Our girlfriends are friends, too, so we usually hang out as a group, and it’s always fun. I appreciate that relationship.

As for our play styles, I think we mesh well. I’m the more slow-paced guy. I can identify when I want to slow things down, while he can recognize when it’s time to just send it. I’ll be right behind him either way, so I think our play styles complement each other well.

THESPIKE: Looking at your individual performance, you were one of the standout players in the group stage, finishing with a 1.35 rating and 117 kills. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether you’re the best Initiator in the world, and that conversation has been going on for a long time.

Do you think you’re the best Initiator in the world right now?

Trent: That’s a tough question.

I’m a humble player, so I’ll say no. I think everyone is a product of their surroundings.

If you have a good team, you can play better. If you don’t have as good a team, your stats are obviously going to look worse. It’s a team game in the end. You can’t do anything without your other four teammates. Even when one player is popping off, they’re probably being set up for trades or finding opportunities to clutch rounds.

Sometimes players have games like that and can take over, but for the most part, VALORANT is about your environment. Players shine most when they’re in the right system or can build their own.

THESPIKE: Even if you don’t consider yourself the best Initiator in the world, there’s still something special about your playstyle. What do you think sets you apart from other Initiators?

Trent:

I’m definitely confident against every single player in the game, but I wouldn’t say I’m the best.

THESPIKE: What would you say is your biggest strength compared to other Initiators? Is there a particular skill that makes you stand out?

Trent: That’s a tough question. I think I’m one of the Initiators who can play pretty much every Agent in the role. Whatever Initiator a map needs, I can usually fill that spot.

But I think, for the most part, I’m hard to read. I can change what I’m doing and what I’m showing to make teams think differently about our round. I can make them overthink based on my actions, and that’s part of my job as an information Initiator.

I need to make sure they don’t have the right information while we have better information. That’s something I pay close attention to when reviewing how teams play.

THESPIKE: For the last question, the Chinese crowd has really gotten behind G2. After all the Chinese teams were eliminated, G2 became the crowd’s favorite, with fans cheering for you everywhere. How did you win their hearts?

Trent: I think we’ve always had a lot of Chinese fans. I’m not sure why, but I’m all for it, and I’m really thankful.

As soon as we got here, we joined Rednote and started posting. We always interact with fans and try to be nice to everyone wherever we go. You can never have too many fans, right?

I think we’re one of the more likable teams, with outgoing, open personalities. You’ll never see a dull moment when you’re watching G2 or our content. Someone is always smiling, having fun, laughing, or making jokes. I think we’re just a very likable team.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Credit: THESPIKE