MIBR tex: “I should definitely be playing better”

MIBR’s elimination from VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Americas Stage 1, after a loss to 100 Thieves, marks another missed opportunity for the Brazilian organization to return to the international VALORANT stage. With their hopes of reaching Masters London over, the team leaves the event with more questions than answers about its performance this season.

In an exclusive interview with THESPIKE Brazil, Ian "tex" Botsch spoke about the team’s current situation and took some responsibility for the result. The player acknowledged that his individual performance has not met expectations.

“I understand their frustration. I should definitely be playing better individually. But it’s not always that simple. It’s not always about stats. At the end of the day, I’m here to perform. I’m here to be the best version of myself and to fulfill my role. I know I can still be that player. I know I can still play with confidence. But I have to bring that into the server.”

Losses and early exits can take a toll on a team’s stability. According to tex, the pressure from both inside and outside the team has been a key issue throughout the season, especially when it comes to turning potential into consistent results.

“It’s definitely tough. There’s pressure from the community, from the organization, and from ourselves. We know we should be better. We want to be the best. But dealing with that comes down to work. You have to work harder. You go into matches knowing you prepared as much as possible, and you trust that."

At the end of the day, tex admits that outside pressure can affect performance far more than one might initially suspect. "If you start thinking about how fans or the organization will react when you play badly, it affects you. As a pro player, this game is much more mental than physical," stated tex.

After all, performance is not decided only in-game. Tex pointed to mindset as a decisive factor that can quickly elevate or bring down a player, especially in a scene where public opinion shifts with every result.

“Your mindset can be your biggest ally or your worst enemy. It can take you to the top or bring you down very quickly. It doesn’t help when the community turns against you, but I understand it. That’s how VALORANT works right now. When I play well, I’m good. When I play badly, I’m not. That’s just how it goes.”

A disappointing season

MIBR's early exit from Stage 1 continues a difficult stretch for the team this season. Despite a roster with experienced players, the team has struggled to translate that experience into consistent performances when it matters most.

According to tex, part of the issue lies in how decisions are made during matches, especially when individual confidence starts to outweigh team play.

“I thought our fundamentals would be much better than what we’ve shown. When you have a team with a lot of star players, everyone wants to make plays and everyone believes they are the best. In some ways, that’s true. But that also means players take more fights and play with a lot of confidence, when sometimes you need to slow down.

I think that ends up hurting us. It’s something we still don’t fully understand. We’re not always on the same page in-game. Things get messy, and that makes it hard to recover.”

You can find the complete video interview with tex below:

After their loss to 100 Thieves, MIBR finished Stage 1 in 5th-6th place, continuing a string of disappointing results in international qualification this season. This is the second time the current roster has missed out on a major international event. The first came during VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Americas Kickoff, where the team had three chances to qualify for VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters Santiago 2026 but ultimately fell short.

With the elimination, MIBR now turns its focus to the Esports World Cup 2026, where it will compete for a spot through the Americas Qualifier before returning to the VCT stage for Stage 2.

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.