LOUD erde: “Everything is aligning for us to win Champions 2026”

Record after record, LOUD continues its impressive run at VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai, securing a spot in the Grand Final after defeating Team Vitality. Four years after lifting their only Champions trophy, the Brazilian organization is back in the final with a new roster and a fresh generation of talent.

In an interview with THESPIKE following the victory, Roberto "erde" Lobos reflected on the team's journey, development, and approach to the tournament. The in-game leader also discussed the changes in his individual performance and how the team is focused on giving its best and delivering a memorable experience for the fans.

Can this young LOUD lineup claim another world title and cement its place in VALORANT history?

VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai

Team Vitality

1

X

2

LOUD

Upper Bracket Final, Best of 3 - October 16, 2026 - 6:00AM

13

Lotus

8

5

Summit

13

11

Haven

13

Team Vitality

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Sayonara

0.92

190

48/48/16

0

1.00

72.9%

123.0

32%

50%

7

7

PROFEK

0.91

179

38/47/24

-9

0.81

76.9%

113.2

35%

67%

6

3

Jamppi

0.91

172

47/44/17

+3

1.07

68.0%

108.5

33%

23%

3

10

Derke

0.89

197

41/46/11

-5

0.89

63.9%

134.0

23%

53%

9

8

Chronicle

0.83

181

36/53/26

-17

0.68

76.5%

119.0

18%

50%

4

4

LOUD

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

erde

1.34

251

54/43/32

+11

1.26

82.7%

171.1

35%

57%

4

3

luk xo

1.34

280

64/42/8

+22

1.52

75.3%

175.1

22%

57%

16

12

Darker

1.09

201

48/41/16

+7

1.17

78.4%

130.1

28%

40%

2

3

tkzin

0.92

193

43/45/12

-2

0.96

77.2%

138.2

40%

57%

8

6

DaviH

0.71

124

29/39/20

-10

0.74

75.0%

83.8

26%

29%

2

5

The youngest roster to reach a Champions final

Few years will be as special as 2026 for LOUD’s young and talented roster. Beyond breaking records, the players are making their mark on VALORANT history. As the youngest team ever to reach a Champions Grand Final, their journey has already become one to remember.

For the in-game leader, the feeling is good, but everything still feels normal. Rather than feeling anxious about the Grand Final, he trusts the work the team has put in over the past few months and believes it will be enough to prove their worth on the biggest stage.

The feeling is good, obviously. I think I'm feeling very well now because it was a very tight series. But other than that, I think I feel normal. I was already asked how I was feeling going to the Grand Finals and I said that I don't know. I'm not feeling anxious, not afraid, not very happy. It's like, okay, I'll continue with the work, you know? That's how I feel.

Even now, erde has yet to fully process everything happening around him. However, the team's success does not come as a surprise to him, as he believes their hard work has brought them to this point.

I think I care a lot about myself, so I haven't really stopped to think, ‘Wow, look at LOUD, if they win, they'll win their second Champions title.’ I haven't thought much about it. I just want to play VALORANT. I'm a hard worker, so I haven't really given it much thought.

Adapting to the European playstyle

LOUD suffered a tough loss to Team Vitality in the Group Stage, allowing the European squad to secure direct qualification to the Playoffs with two wins. However, when the teams met again some days later, erde stood by his belief that LOUD never loses to the same team twice. The Brazilian squad backed up his words, defeating Vitality in their second encounter.

As the in-game leader, erde focused on helping his teammates move past the Lotus loss and reset mentally, ensuring they put it behind them and focused on giving their best in the rematch.

THESPIKE: What did LOUD do differently to bounce back in the series?

erde: "On Lotus, I wasn't trying to trade too much or play too closely together. So, before the second map, I told the guys to forget everything we had been trying to do. When everyone focuses too much on trading, they start playing scared, hesitating, losing their timing, and taking fights too cautiously.

The whole team agreed, so we went into the next map, Ascent, with a different mindset. Lukxo came in playing really well and was taking everyone down. You could see that nobody was holding back anymore."

THESPIKE: Why does LOUD seem to struggle more against Vitality or the European playstyle?

erde: "Honestly, I don't know why it happens. I don't have an answer. We struggled against European teams before. For example, the guys from Karmine Corp looked like the best in the world against us in scrims.

I still don't know exactly why, but we're finding answers as we practice and scrim against them more often. We're starting to understand what we need to do against European teams, and I think we're doing better now."

Individual growth and finding new ways to improve

There is no doubt that the Champions experience has had a lasting impact on LOUD’s players, and that growth is still ongoing. For erde, the tournament has also changed how he sees himself and how he approaches his role as a professional player.

I only changed one thing. My routine involves a lot of meditation and visualization, and I strongly believe in energy. Your mindset matters a lot, and I believe the mind attracts energy. I don't play ranked or spend much time playing VALORANT. Nothing else has changed. If you look at my results before and after my time at Leviatán Academy, you'll see that they've remained consistent because I have a very solid routine.

However, erde has always been a shy person, and the international attention he has received throughout Champions has left him slightly uncomfortable. The in-game leader is still adjusting to being in the spotlight and having so many eyes on him.

Sometimes I don't like it, to be honest. I don't really like having people looking at me. I just want to perform well and win. I'm very competitive, but at the same time, I'm a pretty relaxed person. The attention can make me a little uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, it's fine. You eventually learn to enjoy it, even if I didn't like it very much at first.

Another series, more technical pauses

When technical pauses seemed to be a thing of the past during the Playoffs, the change of venue brought them back. The LOUD vs. Team Vitality series was interrupted several times, including one pause that lasted around 30 minutes.

With the wait dragging on, LOUD’s captain decided to pass the time by playing Tetris, turning an otherwise frustrating situation into a funny moment.

THESPIKE: We saw you playing Tetris during the tech pause. Does it help you stay calm and reset, especially after the round was rolled back and you had to replay the bonus round?

erde: (Laughs) "It was just a really long tech pause, and I didn't know what to do. I didn't have my phone or anything to keep me occupied, and I couldn't talk during the pause. So I was like, ‘Wow, there's nothing I can do.’ Then I got the idea to play Tetris, and that's how it happened."

Regarding the technical pause and the decision to roll back the round after lukxo’s computer crashed mid-round, erde believes the ruling was the right call.

THESPIKE: What was it like for the team to play in this new arena and adapt to the environment, especially with the multiple technical pauses during the series?

erde: "The start was rough because I was having some issues. There was a technical pause on Lotus, and I could have won a round, but I didn't. The team didn't ask for a rollback, and that was fair because it was a difficult round. Then, on Summit, another technical pause happened, and lukxo got really tilted. Luckily, the team got a rollback that time, thank God.

Playing in front of so many people is amazing, though. There's so much white noise that you can barely hear the crowd. It's crazy."

A different LOUD from the 2022 Champions winners

With Brazil still waiting for an international title since 2022, many fans have high hopes for LOUD’s current roster. While erde recognizes the importance of the 2022 lineup in putting Brazilian VALORANT on the map, he believes this team is building its own identity and making a name for itself on the international stage.

I think we have our own identity. As I said, I always focus on doing my job and improving myself. I've never thought that I need to follow the previous roster or imitate what they did. I'm just staying true to who I am, and I think it's working well for us. Winning is the goal. Everything is aligning for me and for the team, so I feel like things are falling into place. I think it's all part of destiny.

Destiny or not, LOUD will return to the stage on October 18 for the VALORANT Champions Shanghai Grand Final, marking the first Grand Final appearance of any player on the current roster. Their opponents are yet to be decided, with Team Vitality and 100 Thieves set to battle for the remaining spot.

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 by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games